Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuit News

Tasigna's Cancer-Fighting Success May Be Tempered By The Risk Of Sudden Death

Oncologist's enthusiasm over Tasigna's cancer-treating effectiveness may cause them to overlook the drug's deadly side effects

Monday, September 17, 2018 - Chronic Myeloid leukemia (CML) is cancer that causes the body to make an excessive number of white blood cells. Tasigna blocks a CML protein associated with the Philadelphia chromosome. Around 9000 patients will be diagnosed with CML every year resulting in about 1000 deaths. Patients suffering from CML are given Tasigna to fight their disease and the results have been encouraging.

Tasigna's potency and toxicity is a factor in helping cancer patients defeat CML. Tasigna is designed to destroy the proteins that cancer feeds upon. Tasigna blocks a protein that promotes abnormal cancer cell growth.

Medical professionals are enthusiastic about Tasigna's ability to fight cancer and force the disease into remission. Tasigna cancer patients are reported to go into remission more frequently and stay in remission longer. Studies have shown that Tasigna patients have an excellent chance of re-entering remission if a patient's cancer returns. In addition, cancer patients in remission may be able to eventually stop taking Tasigna altogether. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), "Patients diagnosed with CML generally face a lifetime of treatment to keep their leukemia from growing or recurring," said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence and acting director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Today's approval shows that some patients may be able to stop treatment with Tasigna altogether if they are showing a strong response to therapy. While we welcome this progress in patient care, it's important to note that any discontinuation of treatment still means patients must be regularly monitored for disease recurrence."

Enthusiasm over Tasigna's cancer treating effectiveness, however, may be overshadowing the drug's potentially life-threatening side effects including sudden death. Packages of Tasigna carry a "boxed warning," the most serious warning the FDA can require, alerting consumers that Tasigna toxicity causes a condition called QT prolongation, a.k.a., an irregular heartbeat. The FDA forced Novartis, maker of Tasigna, to issue use the following language in the warning" "WARNING: QT PROLONGATION AND SUDDEN DEATHS Tasigna prolongs the QT interval (5.2). Sudden deaths have been reported in patients receiving nilotinib (5.3). Tasigna should not be used in patients with hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, or long QT syndrome"

Cancer patients with a pre-existing blood abnormality or a heart condition may not be given Tasigna. All other potential Tasigna patients must first undergo an Electro Cardiogram (ECG) prior to starting Tasigna treatments to establish a baseline from which to compare future monthly tests. Tasigna's excessive toxicity has also been shown to cause atherosclerosis, a deterioration of the normally smooth interior lining of the arteries causing plaque to build up and narrow the blood's passageway. Atherosclerosis causes necrosis of the toes and feet requiring amputation as well as strokes and heart attacks. For answers to more specific questions, contact attorneys handling Tasigna lawsuit claims provide free, no obligation Tasigna lawsuit case review and will be happy to discuss your case in detail.

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Lawyers for Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuits

Attorneys handling Tasigna lawsuits for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma offer free, no-obligation case review for individuals and families who believe they may have grounds to file a Tasigna lawsuit. Working on a contingency basis, these attorneys are committed to never charging legal fees unless they win compensation in your Tasigna lawsuit. The product liability litigators handling Roundup claims at the Onder Law Firm have a strong track record of success in representing families harmed by dangerous drugs and consumer products.