Whilst it is well known that
medicinal research focuses on considering the same treatment for multiple
conditions, the other side of the coin is that some research also considers
whether certain medications can cause or trigger other illnesses.
An example of the latter comes
from a recent study considering the relationship between melanoma and the use
of Viagra. The somewhat surprising relationship has gained attention from the research
community.
The study, which was published in
JAMA Internal Medicine, was a
prospective cohort study. It included a total of 25,848 participants with an
average age of 65. The participants completed a questionnaire every two years.
The results from the questionnaire were then compared with the diagnosis of
melanoma within this group. The main findings indicated that men who were using
or had used Viagra had a higher risk of developing melanoma. Specifically, a
history of using Viagra was linked to a man being twice as likely to develop
melanoma, whereas using Viagra increased the risk by 84%. The researchers
concluded that more research is needed to establish the reason for this
relationship before any clinical recommendations are enforced.
We agree with the researchers
that more studies are needed to fully grasp any implications of the findings.
Whilst the study demonstrates interesting findings, they are still yet to be
replicated and understood. Many studies find links between certain variables however
it may be spurious or altogether irrelevant for the aetiology of an illness. In
addition to that, it is worth highlighting that much of the data came from
self-reported questionnaires, which may not be the most reliable measurement.
Despite this, some physicians
have suggested that medical practitioners enquire whether patients who use
Viagra have experienced a change in their skin. Although it never hurts to be
too cautious when treating patients, perhaps it is premature to suggest
additional checks as a result of one observational study.
Given that melanoma has been on
the decrease over the period that Viagra has been around, we cannot see an argument
for correlation, far less causality. You can read more information on this study at this website.