The type-2 diabetes drug Juvisync contains sitagliptin, which has been linked to risk of pancreatic cancer. Although researchers are still investigating the risk of Juvisync and pancreatic cancer, preliminary data is concerning. Recent studies indicate that Juvisync significantly increases the risk of pancreatitis, which is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Other studies have found pre-cancerous pancreatic cells in diabetics who used drugs in the same class as Juvisync.
What You Can Do & How a Juvisync Lawsuit Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Juvisync induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by pancreatic cancer after taking Juvisync, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Does Juvisync Cause Pancreatic Cancer?
It is unknown if Juvisync causes pancreatic cancer. Because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only approved Juvisync in 2011, there is simply no long-term safety data. Furthermore, pancreatic cancer is a very rare disease, it can take years to develop, and type-2 diabetes may also increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. These factors make it difficult to determine whether Juvisync causes pancreatic cancer. It will likely take many more years until researchers have a complete understanding of this risk.
What Evidence Links Juvisync and Pancreatic Cancer?
Many experts are concerned about evidence linking Juvisync and pancreatic cancer. The first study to highlight this potential risk was published in 2011 in Gastroenterology. Researchers found that sitagliptin was associated with 16 cases of pancreatic cancer in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) database between 2004 and 2009. These voluntary case reports are not proof that Juvisync causes pancreatic cancer, but they are concerning.
In February 2013, JAMA Internal Medicine published a study linking Juvisync to a doubled risk of pancreatitis. Unfortunately, pancreatitis increases a patient’s risk of pancreatic cancer.
The FDA also published this Safety Alert in March 2013 about all drugs in the incretin mimetic class, including Juvisync. Researchers found pre-cancerous pancreatic cells in diabetics who used an incretin mimetic.
Complications of Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is an extremely life-threatening disease that is often fatal. The complications usually become life-threatening and deadly within a few months or years after diagnosis. The majority of cases are adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, which is a fast-growing, aggressive disease that spreads quickly to other organs. Because the pancreas is located close to all major vital organs, pancreatic cancer can easily cause serious complications.
Pancreatic cancer complications include, but are not limited to:
- Abdominal pain, swelling
- Bile duct obstruction
- Jaundice
- Intestinal obstruction
- Diabetes
- Malnutrition
- Weight-loss
- Infections in diseased pancreatic tissue
- Spread of the cancer to other organs
- Death
Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers because less than 20% of people are diagnosed before it spreads outside the pancreas. Diagnosis is typically delayed because symptoms of pancreatic cancer are mild or nonexistent in the early stages of the disease. If symptoms appear, they may include:
- Abdominal pain, swelling, or tenderness
- Nausea, vomiting
- Sudden onset of diabetes (if the pancreas stops producing insulin)
- Unintended weight-loss
- Jaundice
- Itching
- General malaise, feeling unwell
- Diarrhea
- Urine is dark, stools are light or clay-colored
Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
Individuals who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that has not spread might be cured with surgery to remove the pancreas. Surgical procedures for pancreatic cancer treatment include:
- Whipple procedure
- Pancreatectomy
After pancreatic cancer metastasizes, treatment becomes very difficult. Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy may reduce the size of the tumor and slow its growth and progression. After the cancer has reached Stage III or Stage IV, treatment focuses on palliative care (alleviating complications to make the patient as comfortable as possible).
Do I have a Juvisync Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Juvisync induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by pancreatic cancer after taking Juvisync, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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