An erectile dysfunction drug that works by improving circulation may have another, potentially deadly, side effect men need to watch for if followup research confirms a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that indicates that the Viagra melanoma risk is twice as high as the average incidence.

One in 50 white Americans will get the disease in their lifetime, and the average age at diagnosis is 61, a timeframe that fits in with when men might be diagnosed with erectile dysfunction. The outlook is generally good if the cancer is found early, such as with an annual dermatological exam, however, the five-year survival rate of stage two cancer is 81 percent and it drops drastically if the tumor metastasizes to other organs.

Part of the concern with the statistically significant doubling of the risk is the lack of a convenient link between the mechanism of how Viagra works, increasing circulation, and how sunburns happen.

Obviously, the damage occurs due to ultraviolet rays heating up the skin which is why it becomes red, and resembles the flushing that can occur as Viagra side effects. However, there is no evidence yet that squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma, two other skin cancers, have any link to the erectile dysfunction treatment.

One suggestion is that Viagra melanoma risks come not from the creation of melanoma, but by reducing the level of an enzyme that can cause “increases in the invasiveness of melanoma cells, which raises the possible adverse effect of sildenafil use on melanoma risk.” Other PDE5 Inhibitors include Levitra, Cialis and Stendra that also may be linked to melanoma because of the similarity in the mechanisms of action.

For many men, skin cancers often show up in middle age, but they may not realize that the potential accelerating effect of the drug they use could lead to significant growth. In doing so, it increases the likelihood that men won’t be diagnosed until a later stage of melanoma which means a higher mortality rate and the necessity of more invasive treatments as a result of the Viagra side effects.

Since the damage has already occurred by the time a man needs treatment, it is critical to try to identify potentially cancerous moles before they grow.

Using the ABCDE method, older men should check for asymmetry, border irregularity, color variety, diameter (> 1/4 inch), and evolving size. Men with a family history of skin cancer may also want to talk with their doctor about the increased risk of melanoma.