Byetta Thyroid Cancer Safety Concerns

Byetta, a drug marketed for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, has come under fire for potential problems including a greater risk of thyroid cancer, pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. The active ingredient in Byetta is exenatide, originally manufactured by Amylin Pharmaceuticals. Exenatide is a synthetic version of a hormone found in the saliva of the desert Gila monster. Byetta comes in a pre-filled pen which the patient injects into the stomach, thigh or upper arm, within an hour prior to breakfast and dinner. The synthetic hormone is also fifty percent identical to a hormone known as GLP-1 which is found naturally in the human digestive tract. GLP-1 increases insulin in the body to balance out blood sugar when it is higher than it should be.

Potential Byetta Dangers

Byetta has also been found to cause weight loss as it slows the rate at which the stomach empties although patients are cautioned against using Byetta as a weight loss drug. Though Byetta gained FDA approval in 2005, adverse reports soon began filtering in of potential Byetta dangers. Thyroid cancer, pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer all appear to occur more often among those taking exenatide than in those taking certain other diabetic drugs. It has been found that people bitten by a real Gila monster tend to be at a much higher risk of developing pancreatitis as the hormone in the saliva of the reptile overstimulates the pancreas. This overstimulation may result in pancreatitis and repeated bouts of pancreatitis can set the stage for pancreatic cancer.

Information Regarding Byetta

Over 700,000 people have been prescribed Byetta since its approval in 2005—in 2007 thirty post-marketing reports of Byetta patients who developed acute pancreatitis were sent to the FDA. While this may not seem like a huge number considering the amount of people taking the drug, since that time many more reports have occurred. Of the original 30, 22 showed immediate improvement of their pancreatitis symptoms once Byetta was discontinued. In 2006 Diabetes Care Journal reported a case of a 69-year old man taking Byetta who developed pancreatitis symptoms within 24 hours of beginning the drug.

Risks of Byetta

Byetta patients may have as much as a three-fold risk of developing pancreatic cancer and a six-fold risk of developing acute pancreatitis. The risk of Byetta thyroid cancer appears to be at least two times the rate of that for other diabetics according to a recent study published in the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. Although Byetta thyroid cancer is considered much more treatable than pancreatic cancer, it is nevertheless a serious disease.  The American Gastroenterology Association reports in its official newspaper that more studies are needed in order to determine the specific risks associated with Byetta.

Other Potential Side Effects of Byetta

Aside from the potential risks of Byetta pancreatitis, thyroid tumors and thyroid cancer and pancreatic cancer, in some cases Byetta can cause a severe allergic reaction which causes swelling of the face, lips, throat or tongue or severe shortness of breath. A constant dull pain in the middle or lower back, severe pain in the upper stomach, jaundice, confusions, unusual drowsiness, extreme mood changes or a decrease in urination are other potential side effects of Byetta.