Actos Lawsuit 2011

by admin on October 21st, 2011

Since an FDA safety announcement was issued, hundreds of people have filed Actos lawsuit 2011 claims against Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the drug’s manufacturer. On September 17, 2010, the FDA claimed there was no statistically significant association between Actos and bladder cancer risk. The agency’s message changed several months later. On June 15, 2011, they reported that use of the type 2 diabetes medication “for more than one year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer.”

Actos bladder cancer symptoms should be treated as early as possible. As with all types of malignancies, the further it spreads beyond its original site, the less likely it can be cured. But even if the tumor is treated successfully, the survivor must make several lifestyle changes to help minimize the chances of a recurrence. The rate of recurrence for bladder cancer is very high, and thus regular follow-up is necessary. We’ll describe what to expect below.

Follow-Up Care Following Actos Bladder Cancer Treatment

Depending on whether the tumor is low-grade (slow-growing, slow-spreading) or high-grade (fast-growing, quick-spreading), the disease can recur in over 75 percent of treated cases within five years. For this reason, follow-up care is critical. If bladder cancer returns, it is important to treat it quickly in order to prevent its spread.

Follow-up appointments are usually recommended every three to six months. Much depends on the severity of the original cancer and the types of treatment that were used to address it. The doctor will ask the patient about any problems she is experiencing with regard to urinary function and pain.

A number of tests may be performed. The physician might order a urinalysis and urine cytology as well as one or more imaging studies (e.g. CT scan, MRI, etc.). Blood tests may also be ordered to detect various tumor markers. The decision about whether to have these studies done is based on several factors, including whether the patient has experienced a recurrence in the past.

When a recurrence of bladder cancer is detected, the treatment options recommended by the physician will depend largely on previous approaches taken to cure the disease. That which was successful in the past is usually administered again.

Dietary Changes

There are no studies that suggest diet and nutrition can prevent a recurrence of Actos side effects cancer symptoms. However, the patient’s immune system clearly plays an important role in fighting cancer cells. By eating healthy and maintaining a proper weight, the survivor can strengthen her immune system, and possibly limit the spread of a recurring tumor.

Making dietary changes may be difficult for those who are going through treatment, or have recently finished doing so. This is especially the case when chemotherapy is given; nausea may suppress the survivor’s appetite. However, it is important for the patient to meet her body’s nutritional needs.

Changes In Exercise

Like proper nutrition, regular exercise is important to the cancer survivor’s long-term health. Ongoing physical activity will help with weight maintenance as well as strengthen the immune system. It will also improve the cardiovascular system while reducing fatigue. But the level of activity should be balanced in order to prevent overexertion.

If the person did very little exercise prior to receiving treatment for bladder cancer, she will need to start slowly. Someone who was very active prior to treatment can take a more aggressive approach. According to the American Cancer Society, the survivor should eventually take part in sixty minutes of vigorous exercise five days a week.

Coping With Recurrent Bladder Cancer

Because the rate of recurrence is high, those who have been treated for bladder cancer will likely require subsequent treatments. For some survivors, the disease returns over and over throughout their lives. In such cases, the long-term prognosis is poor since the cancer can slowly develop a resistance to different treatment measures. The survivor may eventually need to decide whether further therapy is worthwhile given the side effects.

The FDA’s recent warning about the connection between Actos causing bladder cancer was prompted by results from an ongoing ten-year study. Similar results led health agencies in France and Germany to pull the medication from their respective markets. If, after using this diabetes drug, you were diagnosed with bladder cancer, contact an Actos lawsuit 2011 lawyer to discuss your legal options.