More than 23 million men each year take Viagra, the little blue pill used to boost bedroom performance. Since receiving FDA approval in 1998, there have been many side effects associated with this drug, such as vision complications and hearing loss. Now there is a deadly concern: melanoma.
Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) by relaxing muscles and increasing blood flow to particular areas of the body. In a recent study published online by JAMA Medicine, it has been reported that men who have used Viagra for ED had a significantly elevated risk of melanoma. Melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer, is the leading cause of death from skin disease. At less than 2 percent of skin cancer cases each year, melanoma makes up the majority of skin cancer fatalities.
The study, involving researchers from Harvard and Brown Universities, compared the medical charts of 26,000 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study to analyze whether skin cancer rates differed among those who took Viagra and those who did not. The study revealed that men who had taken Viagra for erectile dysfunction had double the risk of developing melanoma than men who had not taken the drug.
In 2000, the researchers interviewed men enrolled in the study about their sexual health, use of Viagra, as well as their history of sun exposure and genetic skin cancer risk, including hair and eye color and history of moles.
Then they tracked occurrences of various types of skin cancer – melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma – based on self-reported questionnaires over the next ten years.
The researchers identified 142 incidences of melanoma, 580 squamous cell carcinoma and 3,030 of basal cell carcinoma. They found men who used Viagra were at nearly twice the risk for developing melanoma. However, there did not appear to be any link between the drug and risk for other types of skin cancers.
The study further reported that those currently taking Viagra had an 84 percent higher risk of developing melanoma. While researchers said that it is still too early to alter prescriptions for Viagra, they are stressing additional investigations into the link. They recommend that those taking the drug contact their physicians.
The researchers also did not find any evidence that erectile dysfunction itself increased melanoma risk.
A 2011 study conducted by a team at the University Medical Center Manheim found that Viagra neutralized a melanoma tumor’s inflammatory immune response in a group of mice. This is contrary to the latest findings reported. However, there are many issues with medical trials on mice extending to human trial successes.
The most common side effects of sildenafil included headache, dyspepsia (indigestion), flushing, and nasal congestion. More concerning problems were impaired vision, photophobia (light sensitivity), blurred vision, and cyanopsia (bluish tint). In 2007, the FDA announced that labeling require a more prominent warning of the potential risk of sudden hearing loss.
Although the findings raise concerns about the safety of sildenafil, the authors of the study say their findings do not prove the drug causes melanoma, just that there is a correlation. They state that further investigations would need to be conducted to understand cause and effect.
If you or a loved one has been taking Viagra and been diagnosed with melanoma, you should see your physician right away. For more information, contact one of our Gacovino Lake attorneys at 1-800-246-HURT (4878).
