Common Drugs That May Cause Cancer
As a common external factor that can lead to the development of cancer, patients must always be on guard for drugs that may contain carcinogens.
Cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the body start replicating at a rate beyond the body’s control. The medical complication can occur in any part of the body where cell division takes place. After some time, the problem spreads to other areas. Some people are more prone to cancer than others. Some of the risk factors include genetics and external environmental factors.
The consequences of dangerous drug injuries can be devastating. One of the common external factors that may lead to cancer is prescription drugs. Scientists are still researching to establish how drugs cause cancer. Drugs that cause cancer are divided into three major categories:
- Immunosuppressive therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Diabetes medications
Common Cancer-Causing Drugs
Ideally, you take various medications to prevent or alleviate the symptoms of various complications. However, some drugs will increase the risk of getting cancer. Here are some of the common drugs that may increase the chances of getting the disease.
Fluoxetine and Paroxetine
The two drugs are classified as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Some studies have linked the medications to testicular cancer. For the former, scientists recorded 14 cases of cancer with a relative risk of 2.51 after about 10 months of use. On the other hand, they observed 11 cases and a relative risk of 2.44 within the same duration.
Between the users of both drugs, the researchers only identified three cases of overlap. Scientists have evaluated various antidepressants in laboratory experiments and epidemiological studies but have recorded mixed results. Some of them have also recommended several prevention methods.
In humans, researchers focused mainly on breast cancer and identified no relationships. The scientists have no human data about the impact of the two drugs on testicular cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be more than 9,610 new testicular cancer cases by the end of 2020.
Zantac
This is one of the most popular heartburn medications in the US. Medical experts from the Food and Drug Administration say the drug has impurities that increase the risk of getting cancer. The announcement was made after one of the local pharmaceutical firms alerted the Federal body that it had identified NDMA in the heartburn drugs.
The regulatory body revealed it has been investigating the use of carcinogens in heart failure and blood pressure medications since 2018, and it is evaluating whether low levels increase the risk of getting the disease among the users. However, it advised patients to continue using the drug unless instructed by their healthcare providers to stop.
The FDA noted that NDMA was harmful in large amounts and was still evaluating the level of carcinogens in the medications. According to some researchers, all types of Zantac they had investigated were unstable and should be recalled as soon as possible.
Losartan and Valsartan
Some blood pressure drugs have been recalled after realising they contained NDMA. It was established that these two medications contain carcinogens. The Food and Drug Administration recalled Losartan in 2019. According to Federal health experts, the drug had unacceptable levels of NMBA.
The announcement came amid a string of many other blood pressure medications after being found to contain the carcinogen. The agency said that it had identified traces of the carcinogen in Valsartan after being in the market for four years. The FDA estimates that there will be one more case above the average rate for every 8,000 people on the highest dose of the drug.
The announcement came amid a string of many other blood pressure medications after being found to contain the carcinogen.
Proton Pump Inhibitors
The medications are used to treat heartburn and acid reflux and are some of the most popular in the country. Some researchers found that PPIs increase the risk of developing stomach cancer by up to 250% after long-term use. The drugs work by suppressing acid production in the stomach.
Before you take any drug, you should talk to your doctor about any possible negative effects, including the possibility that it could cause cancer. If you have any questions or doubts about a medication you are taking now, you should not hesitate to bring it up with your physician.
