As if patients with type 2 diabetes didn’t have enough to worry about, some research suggests they may be at risk for Onglyza cancer side effects.

Onglyza, otherwise known by its generic name saxagliptin, is one of the newer pharmaceutical options for treating type-2 diabetes. It’s been on the market since it first earned FDA approval in 2009.

The same active ingredient is also used in the brand-name drug Kombiglyze XR, which combines saxagliptin with the older diabetes drug metformin.

Onglyza is one of a large family of newer diabetes drugs that work by affecting the way the body uses the hormone incretin. Incretin stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin, which in turn causes the body to absorb sugar out of the blood.

Incretin’s effect is reduced by an enzyme called DPP4. Onglyza’s specific mechanism of action blocks DPP4, leaving more incretin working to stimulate more insulin production, thereby keeping blood sugar levels from getting too high.

Onglyza has been particularly popular with diabetes patients because it’s effective at keeping blood sugar down without leading to weight gain at the same time.

The drug’s popularity is reflected in its sales figures. In 2015, annual sales of Onglyza reached $786 million, and at least one projection predicts sales will reach over $2.4 billion by 2018.

Early Research Raises Spectre of Onglyza Cancer Side Effects

As with any other drug, however, Onglyza puts patients at risk for certain side effects. Researchers have suggested the drug’s effect on the pancreas could lead to pancreatitis or possibly even pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is notorious for being one of the more deadly forms of cancer. It usually escapes an earlier diagnosis because it doesn’t produce symptoms at first.

Without an earlier diagnosis, the cancer gets a chance to progress. Sometimes by the time the cancer is discovered, it has progressed to a very advanced stage, making treatment difficult and increasing patient morbidity.

Onglyza has already been associated with reports of pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that can be a precursor to cancer. The label for Onglyza has carried a warning about the possibility of pancreatitis since November 2011, when the FDA required that warning to be added.

More recent research has found possible signs of Onglyza cancer side effects. In one study published in 2013 by the American Diabetes Association, researchers studied pancreatic tissue from organ donors who had diabetes, some who took incretin-based medications and others who had used different treatments.

Researchers reported finding an approximately 40 percent increase in pancreatic mass in patients who had taken incretin therapies. This increase was attributed in part to an increase in the reproduction of pancreatic alpha cells.

Researchers also noted the presence of small adenomas which could lead to the development of neuroendocrine tumors.

Other research has reached different conclusions, so the chances of Onglyza cancer side effects may still be only a possibility. Patients who want to play it safe can always consult their treating physician about possibly making changes in how they treat their type 2 diabetes.

Patients who have suffered pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer after use of Onglyza can consult with a specialized lawyer to see if a lawsuit is right for them.