Amidst growing patient claims of serious PPI side effects, new research reveals a possible link between PPI and gastric cancer.

PPIs, or proton pump inhibitors, are a type of drug that treats heartburn and acid reflux. They work by blocking the enzyme in the stomach wall that produces the acid. This reduces heartburn, acid reflux, and ulcers, which are the result of too much acid.

Popular drugs in this class include:

• Nexium, Nexium IV, Nexium 24 HR
• Prilosec, Prilosec OTC
• Prevacid, Prevacid IV, Prevacid 24-Hour
• Protonix
• Zegerid, Zegerid OTC

However, studies have shown that there is a link between PPI and gastric cancer. Reportedly, long-term use of proton pump inhibitors more than doubles a person’s risk for stomach cancer.

These drugs work in combination with antibiotics to eradicate a bacterium in the stomach called Helicobacter pylori. H. pylori cause ulcers when combined with stomach acid, so the use of PPI drugs and antibiotics reduces both the bacteria and the acid, thus reducing ulcers.

Helicobacter pylori is also believed to play a role in the development of stomach cancer. So, patients are sometimes treated with the intention of eliminating the helicobacter pylori, to reduce their risk of stomach cancer or treat stomach cancer. Acid reduction is often a part of this treatment as well, as the acid and the bacteria work together.

Unfortunately, this treatment may be more harmful than helpful, as PPIs themselves may cause stomach cancer. Reportedly, the risk of PPI cancer rose the longer a person took the drugs, and the higher the dose they took after they had been treated to eliminate H. pylori.

Patients who had H. pylori eliminated and then took PPIs were studied in comparison to patients who had H. pylori eliminated and then took another kind of heartburn drug. In this study, patients who took PPIs were over twice as likely to develop stomach cancer as those who took the other heartburn drug.

Studies have yet to determine the mechanisms that link PPIs and H. pylori, but numerous patients have already reported developing PPI cancer after using the drugs. Many of these patients have already taken legal action against the makers of PPI drugs to hold them accountable for PPI cancer.

In this study, the time between when a patient had taken PPIs and antibiotics to eliminate H. pylori and when they developed PPI cancer was an average of five years.

If it is found that drug companies insufficiently warned about the dangers of PPIs, and the link between PPI and gastric cancer, the companies could be held accountable for patient injury.

If you took PPI drugs like Nexium and developed PPI cancer, you may have a legal claim. In many cases, patients who developed stomach cancer thought their diagnosis was related to factors other than PPI use. Contacting an experienced PPI cancer lawyer can help you determine if you may have a legal claim and can file a PPI and gastric cancer lawsuit.