Texas Actos Pancreatic Cancer Lawyer

The diabetes drug Actos has been linked to a 41% increased risk of pancreatic cancer in a recent study.

Need a Texas Actos Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit in Texas.

What is the problem?

In July 2015, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published results of a 10-year study involving around 200,000 diabetes patients on Actos.

Actos was associated with a 41% increased risk of pancreatic cancer and a 13% increased risk of prostate cancer.

The 5-year results of the study also found a 40% increased risk of bladder cancer among patients who took high doses of Actos for at least one year, which led the FDA to issue a Safety Communication in 2011.

The same study showed no increased risk of bladder cancer from Actos at 10 years, but did not rule out a risk. Other large studies have found even higher rates of bladder cancer.

The study did not prove that Actos causes any type of cancer, and researchers 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.”

The study was completed by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, manufacturer of Actos, and based on data from patients over age 40 who were from Northern California.

Diabetes and Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is more common in people who have diabetes. No one knows why, but a major risk-factor for pancreatic cancer is chronic inflammation in the pancreas (pancreatitis). The problem is that low-level pancreatic inflammation rarely produces symptoms, which can delay diagnosis and treatment.

What is Pancreatic Cancer?

Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells start growing uncontrollably and form a tumor in the pancreas, which is a gland located deep inside the abdomen that produces digestive hormones and enzymes.

About 50,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year in the United States. Pancreatic cancer is a rare cancer, but it is one of the deadliest because it produces few symptoms in its early stages. Only 20% of people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer before it spreads, and only 5% survive more than five years.

Signs & Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

• 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

Need an Actos Lawyer in Texas?

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas Actos lawyers for a free lawsuit review.