A growing number of lawsuits have been filed by men who used Cialis and were diagnosed with melanoma, an aggressive and sometimes deadly type of skin cancer.
Need a Texas Cialis 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 melanoma, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.
Overview
Viagra and Cialis work in the same way — blocking an enzyme called PDE5, which relaxes blood vessels and increases circulation of blood to the penis.
What is the problem?
The problem is that recent studies have found that melanoma becomes more invasive and grows faster when PDE5 is inhibited.
Erectile Dysfunction Drugs and Melanoma
About 50% of aggressive melanomas have mutations that block PDE5. This led researchers to question whether erectile-dysfunction drugs were associated with more cases of melanoma. In July 2014, Viagra (sildenafil) was associated with an 84% increased risk of melanoma in a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Cialis Melanoma Lawsuits
Eli Lilly & Co., the manufacturer of Cialis, is facing dozens of lawsuits from men who were diagnosed with skin cancer. The company is accused of failing to warn about the “significant risk of exacerbating melanoma.”
Cialis Lawsuits Centralized in MDL
In December 2016, judges centralized Cialis melanoma lawsuits into a Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 2691) in the Northern District of California under U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg. The same MDL involves hundreds of Viagra melanoma lawsuits against Pfizer.
What is Melanoma?
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. It starts in melanocytes, which are skin cells that make pigment. An estimated 76,000 new cases of melanoma and 10,000 deaths will occur in the United States in 2016, according to the American Cancer Society.
Symptoms of Melanoma
Doctors have created an “A-B-C” mnemonic to help remember the symptoms of melanoma:
- Asymmetry: Shape is irregular
- Border: Uneven or “scalloped” edges
- Colors: Variety of colors (black, brown, red, white, etc.)
- Diameter: Larger than a pencil eraser (1/4-inch)
- Evolving: Changes over time
- Feel: May be bumpy, hard, itchy, crusty, or painful
Complications of Melanoma
When melanoma metastasizes, cancerous cells travel away from the mole where they started and colonize tissues in other parts of the body — often the lymph nodes. Tumors grow in multiple places and the cancer becomes very hard to treat.
Treatment for Melanoma
When melanoma is diagnosed in its early stages, it can often be completely cured. The standard treatment is excision surgery to remove the melanoma and a margin of skin around it. After the cancer has metastasized, treatment becomes more complex. Patients may need targeted therapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.
Need a Cialis 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 Cialis lawyers for a free lawsuit review.