Yet Another Study Suggests Link Between Type 2 Diabetes Drug Actos and Bladder Cancer

(New York, NY, July 5, 2012) The Rottenstein Law Group, which represents clients with claims stemming from injuries allegedly resulting from their use of medical devices and prescription drugs, including the type 2 diabetes drug Actos, has learned of yet another study that suggests a link between the drug and the occurrence of bladder cancer.

According to a July 3 article published on the Newsday.com, Web site, a study performed at the University of Alberta School of Public Health, and published in the July 3 edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), Actos (pioglitazone) raised the risk of bladder cancer by one-fifth, based on further analysis of previously competed studies. "The evidence suggests that this drug is associated with about a 22 percent increased risk of bladder cancer," said study senior author Jeffrey A. Johnson, the Canada Research Chair in Diabetes Health Outcomes at the University of Alberta School of Public Health. Actos has been previously associated with an elevated risk of bladder cancer according to a study published in the May 31 issue of the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

The current Canadian study analyzed data from previous studies involving 2.6 million people with type 2 diabetes, who were prescribed drugs from the class known as thiazolidinediones, of which Actos is a member. From that group, 3,643 people were newly diagnosed with bladder cancer. Johnson and his colleagues believe the increased risk for bladder cancer is associated with the ability of drugs like Actos to make the body more sensitive to insulin, reducing the amount of the hormone the body produces. Cancer cells have insulin receptors attached to them, and since insulin is a growth hormone, these cells can use the hormone to grow and multiply. Johnson "suspects the link between Actos and bladder cancer would have to be the result of a direct effect of the medication," the article states. He also stated that "some animal studies suggested that the drug could cause crystals to form that irritate the bladder, which could potentially play a role in the development of bladder cancer."
The Rottenstein Law Group advises anyone who has suffered adverse side effects from taking Actos or any other medication to speak with a qualified personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. The Rottenstein Law Group maintains an Actos Lawsuit Information Page, at www.rotlaw.com/actos/, that has social media features that allow for easy sharing on sites like Facebook and Twitter, enabling visitors to spread the word about the dangers of Actos.

About the Rottenstein Law Group
The Rottenstein Law Group is a New York-based law firm that represents clients in mass tort actions. The firm was founded by Rochelle Rottenstein, a lawyer with over two decades of experience in compassionate representation of clients in consumer product injury, mass tort, and class action law suits. For more information, please visit their Web site at www.rotlaw.com, or call (888) 9-ROT-LAW.