Extended use of popular prescription and over-the-counter heartburn meds has recently been linked to an increased risk of developing stomach cancer. The link between Nexium and cancer risk was connected by a study released in the late fall of 2017.

The study results indicated that the likelihood of developing gastric cancer increased from two to eight times the norm, depending upon how long the consumer took the heartburn meds consistently.

The Nexium and cancer risk study focused on former carriers of a bacteria that resides in the stomach and is known as Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori. It is a common infection with few to any symptoms in the vast majority of people, but it is recognized as a common cause of gastric ulceration. Once found in a patient, it is easily treated with antibiotics.

Unknowing carriers of H. pylori have a greater than 30 percent increase in risk of developing stomach cancer and, if the bacteria is found and eliminated, the risk is brought back into normal range. The reduction appears to be cancelled out, however, if the individual took and continues to ingest common heartburn meds such as Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosec—also known as proton pump inhibitors—for seven years or more.

According to an October 2017 article in The New York Times, use of Nexium and cancer risk is twice as high when compared with long-term takers of a different kind of heartburn meds that fall into the H-2 receptor antagonist category.

The study reports that out of 3,271 former H. pylori carriers in the study taking proton pump inhibitor brands such as Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosec over a seven-year period, 153 developed gastric cancer. The study controlled for other risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol use, body mass index, and high blood pressure.

In the New York Times article, Dr. Wai Keung Leung, a professor of medicine at the University of Hong Kong, is attributed with indicating that while use of Nexium and cancer risk is increased, this risk is not huge. If this type of heartburn med is effective, judicious use can be of great benefit to a lot of people.

A similar increase in the risk of stomach cancer was not found among users of H-2 receptor antagonist heartburn meds, including brands such as Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac, and Axid.

Other Side Effects

In addition to use of Nexium and cancer risk that has recently been identified, heartburn meds that fall into the category of proton pump inhibitors have been linked to problems with the kidneys.

Three years ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a label change that lists a common precursor to kidney failure known as acute interstitial nephritis as a side effect. Chronic kidney disease and use of proton pump inhibitors were also connected in a study published in the reputable Journal of the American Medical Association in February 2016.

Have you or a loved one taken Nexium or Prilosec and were later diagnosed with kidney disease, kidney failure, or stomach cancer? You may benefit from a consultation with a knowledgeable pharmaceutical products liability attorney.