Many Viagra skin cancer lawsuits have been filed since a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)  earlier this year found a strong link between consumers’ use of erectile enhancing drugs containing sildenafil like Viagra and a man’s risk of developing Viagra skin cancer of the course of his lifetime.

Other phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, that is drugs in the same family as Viagra, may also contain the allegedly increased risk of Viagra skin cancer include Revatio, Cialis, Levitra, Staxyn, and Adcirca. While some of these drugs are also used to treat men’s erectile dysfunction, some of these drugs are prescribed to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension.

While more Viagra skin caver studies are need, it seems that the JAMA report has made a strong link between use of sildenafil and an increased risk of developing Viagra skin cancer. As a result, many men may choose to file Viagra skin cancer lawsuits within the coming year.

Skin Cancer Causes and Symptoms

There are multiple causes associated with skin cancer. As is the case with many diseases, genetics are a significant factor in determining an individual’s risk of developing skin cancer. Over several generations, rare DNA mutations can occur within a family bloodline and are eventually refined and passed down to offspring. This is why in the case of skin cancer, family history is used as a primary indicator as to an individual’s likelihood of developing any type of skin cancer.

Another factor that could cause skin cancer is a person’s exposure to damaging UV light. Skin cancer, like most cancers, can occur when DNA is damaged aside from hereditary mutations and corruptions of the DNA.

Thus, when an individual has been overly exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, their DNA especially in the melanin skin cell can become damaged and increase their likelihood of developing skin cancer. UV light damage can occur from lack of protection from the sun’s UV rays, but is also likely to occur from UV producing tanning beds.

Some symptoms of Viagra skin cancer to watch out for in sildenafil consumers include:

• Change in shape, color, or size of an already existing mole
• Oozing or bleeding from the mole site
• Itchy, hard, bumpy, swollen or tender feeling in an existing mole

Viagra Skin Cancer Risk

The JAMA research study mentioned earlier stated that of the men participating in the Harvard sponsored study, those consumers who were on Viagra were 84 percent more likely to develop Viagra skin cancer, especially melanoma skin cancer, than their counterparts who did not consume the Pfizer made erectile enhancing drug.

The Harvard School of Public Health researchers conducting this study curated 10 years’ worth of data from a total of 26,000 male research participants, some of whom used Viagra on a regular basis.

The Harvard study published in April reported that 3,500 of the 26,000 men developed skin cancer allegedly caused by their use of Viagra. Of these 3,500 Viagra skin cancer consumers, 142 specifically developed melanoma skin cancer, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Harvard researchers also took genetics, UV damage, and other risk factors into consideration and found that they did not affect the findings of the study, which suggest an increased risk of developing Viagra skin cancer after taking Viagra or other erectile enhancing drugs containing sildenafil.

In light of this study and other consumer reports, hundreds of men may file Viagra skin cancer lawsuits or join Viagra skin cancer class action lawsuits.