Private MD News

Blood sugar medications may be tied to increased risk of bladder cancer

Category: Diabetes

There are a number of medications that can help diabetics achieve healthy glucose levels on their next blood test. However, a new study warns that one class of drugs may be linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer.

A team of researchers from the University of Alberta recently reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that diabetics who take thiazolidinedione medications have a much higher risk of developing bladder cancer than individuals who take other drugs.

In particular, the results showed that pioglitazone carried the greatest risk of this complication. The researchers said the findings may cause diabetics to reconsider the type of medication they use to control their blood sugar levels.

"Although the absolute risk of bladder cancer associated with pioglitazone was small, other evidence-based treatments for type 2 diabetes may be equally effective and do not carry a risk of cancer," the researchers wrote in their report.

Further investigation may be needed though, as the researchers did not observe an association between bladder cancer and rosiglitazone, another type of thiazolidinedione.