An article published in a 2013 edition of Tumour Biology titled “Pioglitazone prescription increases risk of bladder cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes: an updated meta-analysis.” by S. He et al. aimed to determine the risk for bladder cancer associated with use of pioglitazone (Actos; Tadeka Pharmaceuticals, Inc.).
The authors of this paper write “Pioglitazone is widely used for glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, but evidence regarding the association between pioglitazone and bladder cancer risk is confusing” and as such, conducted a meta-analysis of ten relevant studies on the topic, to see if there were consistent findings or discrepancies among and between data sets.
In all, the team reviewed nine studies, “representing 2,596,856 diabetic patients”. After statistical analysis, the team found that “the result suggested an increased risk of bladder cancer in patients exposed to pioglitazone.” And, the team writes that “Subgroup analyses indicated that the significantly increased incidence of bladder cancer was found in men, but not in women. Additionally, the analyses addressing increasing exposure to pioglitazone observed a dose-response relation between exclusive ever use of pioglitazone and bladder cancer in terms of cumulative duration of use and cumulative dosage.”
Concluding “our results suggest an increased risk of bladder cancer in diabetic patients using pioglitazone, especially for men with long-term and high-dose exposure”, this study can be used in an Actos lawsuit to demonstrate to court that the manufacturers of Actos knew, or should have known, the risks posed by the use of that drug.
If you or a loved one used Actos and suffered bladder cancer as a result, you too may be entitled to significant financial compensation for your injuries. For a free, no-obligation case consultation, contact our team of Actos lawyers at the information provided below. We have the experience, resources, and compassion required to win the justice you deserve.
(855) 452 – 5529