If you or someone you love has developed melanoma while taking Viagra, you may have an injury or wrongful death lawsuit against Pfizer, who has never adequately warned patients and their doctors of this risk. If you believe you have a claim, call our lawyers for free at 888-322-3010 or get a free Internet consultation. We can discuss your options with you.
The Association Between Viagra and Melanoma
The understanding of the potential risks of melanoma with Viagra took flight in 2014 for the general public when Harvard Medical School released a new study showing that Viagra users were 84% more likely to develop melanoma skin cancer.
The study analyzed data from nearly 26,000 men and found that those who used sildenafil had an 84% higher risk of developing melanoma compared to non-users. However, it’s essential to note that this study showed an association, not a causal relationship. The researchers themselves emphasized that more research is needed to establish a direct causal link.
Since the publication of that study, further research has been conducted, and the results have been mixed. Some studies have supported the potential association, while others have not found a significant link between sildenafil use and melanoma risk.
It is important to note that correlation does not equal causation, and the increased risk observed in some studies may be due to other factors, such as lifestyle or sun exposure, rather than the medication itself. More research is needed to determine whether there is a direct causal relationship between Viagra use and melanoma risk. Is it something that deserves a lawsuit? No. Should people continue to look into it.
Why would Viagra cause melanoma? First, it is worth pointing out that no one knows. But there is a theory that makes sense. Some doctors have hypothesized that Viagra lowers levels of PDE-5A, a protein in the body that fights off cancer. This allows melanoma cells to divide and multiply a cancer-fighting protein called PDE5A. This, in turn, results in melanoma skin cancer cells becoming more invasive.
It is an early study, and obviously, there is more work to be done to determine what the risk might be. But this was no rinky-dink study. It included nearly 26,000 men over a 10-year period and it took into account a lot of the things that could throw off the study, such as a family history of cancer and amount of sun exposure. Could this study be off-base? Absolutely. Is that a likely outcome? Who knows? We will see, but I think the likely end result of all of this is a new understanding that Viagra causes melanoma.
Is Viagra the Only Drug We Should Be Concerned About?
No. Viagra is part of a class of drugs known, as we discussed above, as PDE-5 drugs called phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. Others are similar drugs, many of which you have seen in an estimated 6 zillion television commercials, including Cialis (tadalafil), Levitra (vardenafil), Revatio (sildenafil), Adcirca (tadalafil), and Staxyn (vardenafil). So if you buy into the “PDE-5A inhibitors is the problem here” all of these drugs could potentially be implicated.
Melanoma Is One of the Last Skin Cancers You Want to Get
Melanoma is a deadly form of cancer that kills near 10,000 people in this country every year. If caught early, melanoma is very frequently curable. But if you miss it, and it is not hard to miss, cancer can spread to the point where it cannot be treated.Melanoma is less common than other types of skin cancer, but it is the most deadly. It can spread to other parts of the body and lead to serious health problems, including organ damage and even death.
Melanoma occurs when pigment-producing cells called melanocytes grow uncontrollably. These cells are responsible for producing the pigment that gives color to the skin, hair, and eyes. Melanoma usually appears as a dark, irregularly shaped mole or a dark spot on the skin, but it can also develop in other parts of the body, including the eyes, mouth, and genitals.
Getting a Lawyer
Are we at the very early stages of this litigation? Yes. But now is the time to get a lawyer and figure out what your options may be. Call us 888-322-3010 or get a free Internet consultation.