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Can Sildenafil Citrate Cause Skin Cancer Injuries?
Ronnie Mills
For many men, sildenafil citrate is a life-changing medication. When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug to treat erectile dysfunction in 1998, sildenafil helped thousands of American men cope with a devastating problem. Since then, some men have suffered unwanted side effects, and studies show that the drug can lead to a serious form of skin cancer. Learn more about the link between sildenafil citrate and melanoma, and find out why some American men are filing personal injury lawsuits.
How erectile dysfunction affects lives
Erectile dysfunction is a persistent condition that means men cannot get or keep up an adequate erection during sex. Doctors once referred to the condition as impotence, and a 2013 study found that the problem affects one in four men under the age of 40.
Men can suffer with erectile dysfunction for several reasons. In some cases, regular medications can cause the condition, and people who drink too much alcohol can also experience the problem. Some chronic illnesses (including hyperthyroidism and renal failure) can also cause erectile dysfunction, while some men experience the problem after major pelvic or rectal surgery.
Men with erectile dysfunction are generally unable to have fulfilling sex lives. These men are also more likely to suffer with stress or anxiety, and, of course, it stops many married couples having children. As such, many doctors prescribe the drug for their patients.
Sildenafil citrate and skin cancer
According to Harvard Medical School, a 2014 study reported that men who use sildenafil are 84 percent more likely to get melanoma over a 10-year period. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, with 76,100 new cases reported in 2014. What's more, 9,710 people in the United States died from the condition in the same year.
Melanoma remains relatively uncommon in the United States, although the incidence has increased steadily over recent years. Certain groups are at higher risk of melanoma, including smokers, anyone with a weakened immune system, and people with certain types of skin mole.
The 2014 study investigated a group of more than 30,000 men, to see if sildenafil users were more likely to get melanoma. Researchers found that sildenafil mimics part of the process that allows melanoma cells to spread in the body. One of the biggest risks with skin cancer is that the condition spreads easily, so doctors find it difficult to control. Further research is underway to work out exactly how the drug affects the risk of melanoma.
Sildenafil lawsuits
Researchers behind the 2014 study suggested that doctors prescribing sildenafil citrate should check their patients' skin for any signs of skin cancer. Doctors should also carefully question patients on an ongoing basis about any new or unusual moles and skin spots. For some men, this advice came too late.
Drug manufacturers ran into problems with sildenafil before. Some men allege that the drug caused heart attacks, strokes and vision problems, resulting in a series of personal injury lawsuits against the makers of branded sildenafil products. In 2005, the FDA ordered manufacturers to put a warning about sudden vision loss on the product label for certain medications, including sildenafil.
With new evidence of a link with skin cancer, these manufacturers may now face further lawsuits. Sildenafil does not yet have a product warning about any link with skin cancer, but men who develop the condition may allege that the drug caused their melanoma. Drug manufacturers must make sure that medications are safe to use. These companies must also warn users about any known risks. As it stands, the manufacturers do not warn sildenafil users about any potential melanoma risk.
Sildenafil citrate is a popular drug that can counter the effects of erectile dysfunction, but the medication carries certain risks. A doctor can help you understand the known risks of sildenafil citrate, but you may need a personal injury attorney's help if it's now too late for you or somebody you love.
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