Lack of an association between alopecia areata and visceral or hematopoietic cancers

To the Editor: Alopecia areata (AA) is a polygenic, patchy nonscarring hair loss that presents on the scalp and body that drastically affects patients' quality of life.1 The pathogenesis of AA remains elusive, though T-lymphocyte–mediated inflammation and various environmental stressors play a role. The association between AA and various autoimmune diseases has been explored in several studies.1 Recently, studies found lower rates of nonmelanoma skin cancers and a trend toward decreased melanoma among AA patients.

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