Tasigna chemotherapy is a treatment option available to patients suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but patients and doctors are concerned about the drug’s alleged link with potential cardiovascular complications.

Tasigna chemotherapy has recently been linked with atherosclerosis, which causes restrictions in blood flow and compounds the patient’s already delicate medical state.

Tasigna chemotherapy is often prescribed to patients who have not responded well to other CML leukemia treatment drugs. CML leukemia is a variant of the disease with a Philadelphia chromosome that requires a specific treatment method.

Tasigna works by inhibiting the cancer cells’ communications patterns and reproduction function by blocking certain proteins from being made. Tasigna is typically administered in capsule form, with the patients often instructed to take them twice a day and 12 hours apart, though this schedule can vary from patient to patient.

Like other cancer treatments, Tasigna chemotherapy is a strict regimen that is set by the patient’s oncologist. Along with following specific dietary restrictions, patients will often have their blood tested to check their liver and kidney function.

Even though Tasigna chemotherapy has helped numerous CML leukemia patients, it has been linked to atherosclerosis in a way that could increase risks for patients.

Overview of Tasigna Chemotherapy Complications

Over a dozen studies have linked Tasigna chemotherapy and atherosclerosis, which can potentially develop into peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Atherosclerosis is when the artery walls thick and harden with plaque buildup, which causes complications in blood flow. If this condition evolves into PAD, it can cause the veins to become weak and may break and cause a blood clot to form.

Blood clots in the peripheral arteries can cause pain in the legs, changes in skin color, ulcers, and mobility issues. If a total loss of circulation in the legs or feet occurs, it could lead to limb amputation. But if the blood clot occurs in the carotid artery, it can cause a potentially fatal stroke.

Tasigna chemotherapy was first linked to atherosclerosis in 2011, when a published study found that 35 percent of patients experienced cardiovascular problems and 16 percent had developed peripheral arterial disease soon after starting the medication.

Just two years later, nine other inquiries published in medical journals in different countries, had also found an increased risk of atherosclerosis in conjunction with Tasigna chemotherapy.

One of the studies was a postmarket review from the FDA, which analyzed injury reports from the United States, Canada, and Europe. The FDA stated that its findings had “strongly suggest an association between nilotinib (Tasigna) and PAOD (peripheral arterial occlusive disease)”.

Not long after the FDA announced its findings, atherosclerosis was added to Tasigna’s warning label. Tasigna was first approved by the FDA in 2007 and has since been a treatment drug for numerous patients, but its recent association with atherosclerosis can be potentially dangerous for patients.

Manufacturing company Novartis is facing a growing number of Tasigna lawsuits, alleging the company either knew or should have known about the potential correlation with atherosclerosis.