Januvia, Other Diabetes Drugs Linked to Thyroid Cancer

Diabetes and Januvia

In type-II diabetes mellitus, the body fails to respond to insulin. For this reason, it is sometimes called “insulin resistant” diabetes. This type of diabetes tends to occur later in life. For this reason, it may also be called “adult-onset diabetes.” Despite the name, this form of diabetes is becoming more and more common in younger patients.

Januvia and Byetta both belong to a family of drugs called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors. These drugs help diabetics respond to insulin and work by making it harder for the body to release glucagon. Glucagon is a peptide that the pancreas uses to tell the body to release more glucose (a sugar) into the blood. In the absence of glucagon, the body responds better to its own insulin.

Januvia and Thyroid Cancer

Despite its effectiveness at treating diabetes, some patients who used Januvia and similar drugs have gone on to develop serious health problems. Many of these patients are filing drug injury lawsuits against the drugs’ manufacturers.

While the majority of Januvia lawsuits focus on the effects this drug has on the pancreas, other problems like kidney issues and thyroid cancer have also manifested. Animal trials have shown a statistically significant correlation between these drugs and thyroid cancers in mice.

In thyroid cancer, the tumor can have serious effects on the patient above and beyond those of cancer. The thyroid is an organ that produces hormones that regulate the rest of the body’s metabolism. So while some patients with thyroid cancer are “euthyroid” — or in a state of having normal thyroid function — many patients with thyroid cancer have abnormal thyroid function. This can take the form of hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland under-performs. This causes symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, depression, and poor tolerance of cold temperatures.

Thyroid cancer can also cause hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid gland. In hyperthyroidism, the patient may experience anxiety, weight loss, trouble sleeping, and poor tolerance of warm temperatures.

Some of the other symptoms of Januvia thyroid cancer include:

• Lumps on the thyroid gland (your Adam’s apple)
• Pain in the front of the neck
• Changes in voice

Thyroid cancer may also not show any symptoms until it has advanced considerably.

Januvia Thyroid Cancer Lawsuits

Lawsuits allege that the manufacturers of Januvia and similar drugs knew, or should have known about the serious side effects associated with this type of drug. The lawsuits further allege that manufacturers downplayed the serious risks, preventing patients and their prescribing physicians from having all the information they needed to make an informed decision about their diabetes drugs.

If you or someone you know took Januvia or Byetta and then went on to develop thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer, or any other serious side effects, you may feel helpless and unsure how to proceed. However, you do have rights. You can start to take back control of your situation by visiting the Type II Diabetes Drugs Januvia, Byetta Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. You can submit your information here for review by a lawyer who specializes in drug injury lawsuits. Your information will be reviewed, free of charge. From here, you can receive guidance on the best steps to take next.