Janumet® Pancreatic Cancer Information

If you took Janumet (sitagliptin / metformin) to treat type-2 diabetes, you may or may not have been aware that it has been linked to an increased risk of acute pancreatitis, which is a known risk factor for pancreatic cancer.

Do I Have a Texas Janumet Lawsuit? 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 injured by Janumet pancreatic cancer, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a Janumet lawsuit in Texas.

UPDATE: FDA Safety Alert for Pancreatic Cancer

March 15, 2013 — FDA publishes Safety Alert regarding potential risk of pancreatic cancer. Click here to read more.

Janumet and Pancreatic Cancer

Janumet (sitagliptin / metformin) helps people with type-2 diabetes lower their blood-sugar levels by helping the pancreas produce more insulin. Janumet works by inhibiting an enzyme called DPP-4 (dipeptidyl-peptidase-4).

Several studies have linked Janumet to an increased risk of pancreatitis, which is a known risk-factor for developing pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, some studies have suggested that inhibiting DPP-4 could lower the body’s natural defenses against cancer, because low DPP-4 levels are a biomarker for early diagnosis of cancer. However, it is not clear whether low DPP-4 increases the risk of cancer.

In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly & Co. to conduct a long-term study of sitagliptin, pancreatic cancer, and thyroid cancer. Unfortunately, studies of cancer often take many years to complete.

Does Janumet Cause Pancreatic Cancer?

It is unknown whether Janumet causes pancreatic cancer. It is difficult to evaluate the risk of Janumet pancreatic cancer for the following reasons:

Janumet is a relatively new drug that has only been sold in the United States since 2007.
Pancreatic cancer is very rare and can take many years to develop.
Statistical significance is limited until a large number of people take Janumet or similar drugs and develop pancreatic cancer.
Some experts believe that type-2 diabetes is a major risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer, which can make it difficult to determine whether a case of pancreatic cancer is caused by Janumet or diabetes.

Studies of Janumet Pancreatic Cancer

In 2011, the medical journal Gastroenterology published a study of Janumet pancreatic cancer. Researchers from UCLA evaluated data from the FDA MedWatch database submitted between 2004 – 2009, and found that sitagliptin was associated with 16 reports of pancreatic cancer and a 2.7-fold increased risk of the disease. Although the significance of the data is limited because of sampling bias, it is an important signal that warrants further investigation.

Symptoms of Janumet Pancreatic Cancer

The reason why pancreatic cancer has such a high mortality rate is because it rarely produces symptoms before the cancer spreads beyond the pancreas to other tissues and organs (metastasizes). It is a good idea to be vigilant for symptoms of Janumet pancreatic cancer, which may include:

Jaundice (yellow color in the skin and whites of the eyes)
Diabetes (high blood-sugar, unexplained sudden onset)
Weight loss
Nausea, vomiting
Diarrhea
Upper-abdominal pain, discomfort, or belly ache (which may radiate to the back)
Enlarged lymph nodes
Itching
Indigestion, bloating
Dark urine
Pale or clay-colored stools
Poor appetite
And more

Do I have a Janumet Lawsuit 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 $60 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact us for a free Texas Janumet lawsuit review.

Janumet Pancreatic Cancer