Viagra and Melanoma Skin Cancer Risk
Men using the popular erectile dysfunction (ED) drug Viagra may face an increased risk of melanoma, an aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer.
Although research has suggested a potential link between Viagra and melanoma skin cancer, Pfizer continues to endanger men by withholding warnings about the importance of users monitoring for signs or symptoms of melanoma, potentially preventing men from detecting the disease early, when it is easier to treat and less life-threatening.
Recent studies have suggested that Viagra may reduce the body’s ability to fight off melanoma, resulting in the skin cancer’s rapid spread.
If men taking Viagra are aware of the potential skin cancer risk, they and their doctors could better be able to watch for melanoma symptoms, which can include:
- Asymmetrical and irregular moles
- Discolored or multicolored moles
- Moles larger than a quarter inch across
- Sores that do not heal
- Itchy, tender or sore patches of skin
- Redness or selling extending outside of the borders of a skin spot
- Oozing or bleeding moles or scales
The early detection of melanoma skin cancer is vital to the health and survival of the patient. Cancer experts advise patients to use what is called the ABCDE rule for melanoma detection when looking at moles on the skin. A for asymmetry, B for border (meaning irregular or rough edges), C for color, D for Diameter, and E is for evolution of the mole, meaning it changes over time.
However, most people do not regularly analyze their moles for such symptoms and the skin cancer can be missed in its earliest, and most treatable stages.
At stage 0, melanoma is confined to the top layer of the skin, known as the epidermis, and can easily be treated by surgery alone. However, as the disease progresses it becomes harder to treat. By Stage 3 it has spread to lymph nodes and patients are at higher risk. By Stage IV it has spread to organs, such as the liver, lungs or brain, greatly decreasing a patient’s chances for survival.
This means that early detection is key. However, because Pfizer failed to provide adequate warning about the risks of melanoma cancer associated with Viagra use, many men with melanoma may not even know to look for it until problems have become obvious.
Lawsuits Over Viagra Melanoma Risk
Although Viagra has been on the market since 1998, generating about $2 billion in annual sales in recent years, it was not until an independent study was published in 2014 that the first information about the risk of melanoma skin cancer from Viagra were available to consumers and the medical community.
In a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, Harvard researchers found that men taking Viagra may be 84% more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma when compared to men who do not use the drug. The study suggested that Viagra may lower levels of cancer-fighting proteins in the body, increasing the invasiveness of melanoma cancer cells.
It appears that Pfizer either failed to adequately research the link between skin cancer and Viagra, or failed to provide adequate warning to doctors and patients. This may have led to men being unaware they were at an increased risk of melanoma skin cancer, leading to late detection and a less hopeful prognosis.
Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. is reviewing potential claims for men nationwide, and all claims are handled by our Viagra melanoma attorneys under a contingency fee agreement, which means that there are no out-of-pocket costs to pursue a case and we receive no fees or expenses unless a recovery is received.
To review whether you or a loved one may be entitled to a Viagra settlement, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
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