Experts warn that America’s most popular erectile dysfunction treatment drug, Viagra, may cause unsuspecting men to develop melanoma. Furthermore, the new generation erectile dysfunction treatment drugs Cialis and Levitra may also carry the same risk for this devastating form of skin cancer.

Melanoma is the most dangerous and aggressive variant of skin cancer, quickly killing the victims if treatment actions are not promptly taken. The recent association with Viagra and melanoma has devastated both the patient population and the medical community, as this drug has been on the market since 1998. Experts estimate that 45 million men have been prescribed Viagra since its release.

Overview of Viagra Melanoma Complications

This concern erupted in 2014 as a significant study was published in April of that year in the JAMA Internal Medicine, which found that men who used Viagra had an increased risk of developing melanoma. This study was conducted by the researchers from Harvard School of Public Health, analyzing patient information of 26,000 men that had used Viagra between the years 2000 and 2010. During that time, over 3,500 cases of Viagra skin cancer had been reported with 142 of these cases being melanoma. Overall, the data collected in the study estimated that men increased their chances of developing melanoma by 84 percent.

It is also believed that Cialis and Levitra also carry an increased risk of skin cancer, because not only do they have similar biochemistry makeup as Viagra, they also last longer in the patients’ bodies than Viagra. However, researchers call for further studies to be conducted into the link between Viagra and melanoma, and to increase the scope of the studies to include the new erectile dysfunction treatment drugs. Additionally, experts have found that Viagra and these other erectile dysfunction drugs carried no increased risks of minor skin cancers.

The authors of this study state that their findings did not definitively prove that Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, and other erectile dysfunction drugs caused melanoma. In fact, the researchers did not suggest that men should cease using Viagra, as they should always consult their physicians for any medical decision. Despite the fact that this study did not establish any link, the notoriety of this study has become widespread among consumers and has resulted in severe backlash against Viagra’s manufacturing company, Pfizer.

How Does Viagra Cause Melanoma Skin Cancer?

Currently, the accepted theory as to why Viagra may be causing melanoma is that it opens up certain genetic pathways in the skin, which makes the patient more vulnerable to skin cancer. According to the Melanoma Research Foundation, melanoma normally begins with pigment-producing cells called melanocytes, which gives the skin its color. Oftentimes moles are formed as a side effect when these cells are compromised, to which doctors use a diagnostic sign. The foundation estimated that 77,000 cases of melanoma were diagnosed in 2014, caused nearly 10,000 deaths, and one person died every hour of every day that year.

Viagra and other erectile dysfunction treatment drugs are PDE5 inhibitors, which are designed to encourage blood-flow to the lower-region of the body. However, this also may allow the same cell-signaling pathways for melanoma to form. Ultimately, more research will be needed to pinpoint the exact causation, assuming there is a correlation. In the meantime, thousands of men across America are suing Pfizer for failing to warn them against the side effects of their product.