what is a chronic autoimmune disease
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body).Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. You cannot catch lupus from someone or give lupus to someone. 2  Lupus is not like or related to cancer. 3  Cancer is a condition of malignant, abnormal tissues that grow rapidly and spread into surrounding tissues. 4  Lupus is an autoimmune disease, as described above.