Malignancy risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis initiating biological or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: a 5-year population-based cohort study

In this Taiwanese nationwide RA cohort, b/tsDMARD class demonstrated no difference in malignancy risk within 5 years after their initiation. Clinicians should instead focus on individual associated factors, particularly male gender, older age at b/tsDMARD initiation, chronic lung diseases and higher-dose corticosteroid exposure, while optimising the protective role of conventional DMARDs and regular follow-up for better disease control.