So many men have used the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra that the side effects have been well documented.

Now, research indicates that there is an link between Viagra and skin cancer, suggesting that users of the  medication may be 84 percent more likely to develop serious and potentially deadly skin cancer.

Viagra Study Suggests Skin Cancer Risk

In April 2014, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study that found men using Viagra are at a significantly increased risk of developing skin cancer. In the study, researchers reviewed data from more than 25,000 participants in the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study.

The researchers found that when compared to men not using the drug, men with a history of Viagra use were twice as likely to develop skin cancer, while men currently taking the drug were at an 84 percent increased risk.

Even when accounting for participants’ histories of skin cancer, ultraviolet light exposure and other kinds of cancer and major illnesses, researchers said that the findings remained the same. Additionally, there was no sign of erectile dysfunction itself being associated with an increased risk of developing Viagra skin cancer, according to the study.

Although the limited nature of this one study alone may not be sufficient to establish a causal connection between Viagra and skin cancer, researchers highlighted the need for additional research.

How Does Viagra Cause Skin Cancer?

Viagra is part of a class of drugs known as phosphodiesterase-5 (PDG5A) inhibitors. Researchers involved in the JAMA study explained that one of the key ingredients in Viagra, sildenafil, may be a trigger in promoting skin cancer development, however they have not yet established a direct cause.

Viagra may increase the risk of skin cancer because it affects the same genetic pathway that allows the skin cancer to become more invasive.

Signs of Viagra Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and is extremely difficult to stop once it starts to spread to other areas of the body.

Like most cancers, early detection and treatment provide the best survival rates. According to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, some signs of skin cancer that Viagra users should watch out for are:

• New spots/ freckles/ moles on the skin
• A change in size, shape or color of an existing mole
• Sores that do not heal
• Pigment, redness or swelling that spreads outside the border of a spot to the surrounding skin
• Itchiness, tenderness or pain
• Changes in texture or scales, oozing or bleeding from an existing mole

Viagra Skin Cancer Lawsuits

It also appears likely that Pfizer, the manufacturer of Viagra, knew or should have known about the potential risk of skin cancer from Viagra, yet warnings were not provided to consumers or the medical community. As a result, financial compensation may be available through a Viagra skin cancer lawsuit for former users and families throughout the United States.