A recent 10-year observational study has found a 41% increased risk of pancreatic cancer associated with Actos, a diabetes drug made by Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
What You Can Do & How an Actos Lawsuit Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Actos induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 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.
What is the problem?
Actos (pioglitazone) has been on the market since 1999 and millions of people have used it to control symptoms of type-2 diabetes. Unfortunately, there is growing evidence that Actos might increase the risk of several types of cancer.
In July 2015, results of a 10-year study were published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). After looking at data on about 200,000 diabetes patients, researchers found a 41% increased risk of pancreatic cancer and a 13% increased risk of prostate cancer associated with Actos.
The 5-year results of the same study also found a 40% increased risk of bladder cancer, which prompted the FDA to issue a Safety Communication in 2011. The 10-year results found no increased risk of bladder cancer, but other large studies have linked Actos to as much as an 83% increased risk of bladder cancer.
Researchers cautioned that the data does not prove that Actos causes any type of cancer, and concluded:
“The increased prostate and pancreatic cancer risks associated with ever use of pioglitazone merit further investigation to assess whether they are causal or are due to chance, residual confounding, or reverse causality.”
Diabetes and Pancreatic Cancer
People with type-2 diabetes are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer. No one knows exactly why, but it might have something to do with chronic inflammation in the pancreas (pancreatitis). Over time, low-level pancreatic inflammation rarely produces symptoms, but increases cell turnover and the risk of cancerous DNA mutations.
What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Pancreatic cancer involves uncontrolled cell growth in the pancreas, which is a small digestive gland located deep inside the abdomen.
Every year, about 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It is relatively rare, but one of the deadliest cancers because it produces so few symptoms in its early stages when it is most treatable. Only about 5% of people survive five years beyond their diagnosis.
Pancreatic Cancer Signs & Symptoms
- Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
- Dark-colored urine, light-colored stools
- Itchy skin
- Abdominal or back pain
- Weight-loss and poor appetite
- Digestive problems
- Nausea and vomiting
- Gallbladder enlargement
- Blood clots in the leg (deep vein thrombosis)
- Sudden worsening of diabetes
- And more
Do I have an Actos Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Actos induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 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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