A well-known drug for intestinal diseases may cause cancer

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A group of scientists from The University of Dundee, Queen Mary University of London and the Sanger Institute have discovered the great harm that some popular drugs can cause to the body. It is about medicines that are prescribed for the treatment of various intestinal diseases.

Scientists have suspected the ability to cause skin cancer of the well-known drug azathioprine. It is actively used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, arthritis, vasculitis. Representatives of science already suspected that this drug could provoke the development of skin cancer. The new study also concluded with the scientists' verdict that the use of azathioprine leads to increased photosensitivity and an increased risk of skin cell mutations that lead to the appearance of squamous cell carcinoma.

The authors of the new work noted that patients undergoing treatment with with the help of azathioprine, additional examinations should be performed, which would allow timely diagnosis of existing lesions. In addition, they should take care of year-round protection from the sun.

Researchers studied the cases of 37 patients with skin cancer. In general, the number of detected cases of this disease in connection with the use of drugs with azathioprine was not very significant. Nevertheless, scientists are convinced that this connection needs to be carefully investigated. Researchers advised people with intestinal diseases and arthritis to protect themselves more carefully from the sun's ultraviolet rays.