Assessing cancer in people with profound and multiple disabilities

Sep 24, 2026

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Cancers are common in people with intellectual disabilities, but for the subgroup with profound and multiple disabilities (PMD)—characterized by severe intellectual disability plus major motor disorders—the frequency and distribution of cancers remain unclear, limiting effective cancer surveillance. A systematic and synthetic review of medical literature, including targeted Japanese sources, indicates a lower overall cancer risk than the general population, with early digestive tract cancers and a need for tailored monitoring.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Background

Scope and definitions

Method

Satgé et al. BMC Cancer (2023) 23:798 BMC Cancer [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-11313-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-11313-3) RESEARCH Open Access Assessing cancer in people with profound and multiple disabilities Daniel Satgé1,2*, Motoi Nishi3 and Brigitte Trétarre1,4,5 Abstract Background Cancers are as common in individuals with intellectual disabilities as in the general population (GP) . For the subgroup of people with profound and multiple disabilities (PMD) who present with both severe intellectual disability and major motor disorders, the frequency and distribution of cancers are currently not known, preventing proper cancer surveillance. Methods We carried out a systematic and synthetic review of the medical literature, including a focused search of Japanese data. Results The total risk of cancer in individuals with PMD is thought to be lower than in the GP, possibly due toa shorter life expectancy. They have reduced exposure to cancer risk factors, such as alcohol, tobacco, sunlight, human papillomavirus infection, occupational toxins, and being overweight. On the other hand, individuals with PMD present a greater frequency of gastroesophageal reflux disease, Helicobacter pylori gastritis, chronic cystitis, and cryptorchidism, which increase the risk for cancer of the esophagus, stomach, urinary bladder, and testes. In addition, certain genetic disorders underlying compromised motor and cognitive functions are associated with higher risk of childhood cancers. An analysis of 135 cancers in persons with PMD in Japan suggested that they present a particular tumor profile, with certain cancers rarer than in the GP, whereas cancers ofthe digestive tract are frequent. Cancers of the digestive tract occurred significantly earlier than in the GP (colon: average age 48.3 years vs. 71.3 years in the GP, esophagus: 39 years vs. 72 years in the GP) . An increasing number of therapeutic successes in children and adults with PMD have been reported in different countries when cancers are discovered early. Conclusion Individuals with PMD must be appropriately monitored for cancer. Screenings for breast and colon cancer, as well as regular monitoring of the esophagus, stomach, urinary bladder, and testicles, are necessary. Population-based epidemiological studies are needed to better understand risk factors, frequency, and distribution of cancers in the PMD population. Keywords Cancer, Cancer incidence, Cancer screening, Intellectual disability, Profound and multiple disabilities *Correspondence: Daniel Satgé [daniel.satge@oncodefi.org](daniel.satge@oncodefi.org) 1Oncodéfi, 209 Avenue des Apothicaires, Parc Euromédecine, Montpellier 34090, France 2UMR 1302 Institute Desbrest of Epidemiology and Public Health, INSERM, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France 3Department of Fundamental Health Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Tobetsu, Japan 4Registre des Cancers de l’Hérault, 208 Avenue des Apothicaires, Montpellier 34090, France 5Center for Epidemiology and Research in Population Health (CERPOP), Toulouse, France © The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](ht

FAQs

Why is cancer surveillance difficult for people with profound and multiple disabilities (PMD)?

Because the frequency and distribution of cancers in PMD are not currently known, which prevents proper cancer surveillance.

What factors may contribute to a lower overall cancer risk in PMD compared with the general population?

The review suggests a lower risk may be linked to shorter life expectancy and reduced exposure to major cancer risk factors such as alcohol, tobacco, sunlight, HPV infection, occupational toxins, and being overweight.

Which cancers show earlier occurrence in PMD, and what monitoring is recommended?

Digestive tract cancers occur significantly earlier than in the general population. The study recommends appropriate monitoring, including screenings for breast and colon cancer and regular monitoring of the esophagus, stomach, urinary bladder, and testicles.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Melati