Lantus Insulin Side Effects Linked to Risk of Cancer: Study
Published: June 29th, 2009 • Comments: 12
New research suggests that side effects of Lantus, an artificial form of insulin manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis for diabetes, may increase the risk of developing cancer.
The report, published in the medical journal Diabetologia, found that in studies in Germany and Sweden, there was an increase in the incidence of cancer among diabetics using Lantus insulin. However, editors of the journal and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) caution that the results are inconclusive and that more in-depth studies need to be done about the potential Lantus cancer risk.
Lantus (glargine) is an injection taken once per day, which slowly releases insulin into the blood over time. It has the second largest share of the diabetic drug treatment market and brought in $3.45 billion in worldwide sales last year. The drug was approved by FDA for diabetes treatment in 2000.
The new report looked at data from an insurance database of 127,000 German insulin-users and found that diabetics taking low doses of Lantus over a year and a half had a 9% higher chance of developing cancer than people taking traditional human insulin treatments. When patients took higher doses of Lantus, the increased risk of being diagnosed with cancer jumped to 31% over those taking other insulin treatments.
After getting the results from the German data, researchers looked at databases in the U.K., Sweden and Scotland. The Swedish data showed a doubling of the risk of breast cancer, but the U.K. and Scotland studies showed no statistically significant increase connecting Lantus to cancer, prompting Diabetologia’s editors to urge caution at how the results of the studies are interpreted.
Professor Edwin Gale, editor of Diabetologia, and Professor Ulf Smith, president of EASD noted in an editorial accompanying the study that “the characteristics of the groups of patients taking Lantus insulin alone (generally older, higher blood pressure, more overweight) were different to those on other forms of insulin. Thus any difference in cancer risk could be attributed to the pre-treatment characteristics of the groups, rather than the treatment itself. Also, the numbers of cases of breast cancer in the Swedish and Scottish studies were very small, meaning the findings could have occurred due to chance.”
The EASD has said that the studies show an urgent need for more research into Lantus side effects. Smith and Gale say such research should come from more database analysis, as conducting clinical trials would be slow and unethical.
Sanofi officials have called the reports findings inconclusive, standing by the safety of their product. Lantus insulin sales represent about 10% of the company’s pharmaceutical revenue.
Experts stress that patients should not stop using insulin and should contact their doctors to discuss any concerns.
Comment by dave on 13 July 2009:
i was on lantus for only one week and i have had lumps that are growing for the lst 6 months…doctors just lie and say its nothing,bullshit
Comment by Omar on 5 August 2009:
I have been taking Lantus Insulin for the past 4 years and I have not come accross any side effects. We would like Sanofi-Aventis to research more about the results from Germany and Sweden to ensure our safety.
Comment by DR.Nabil Abdelhamid on 18 August 2009:
more than 5years ago..i was prescribing Lantus insulin to my patients..their blood sugar well controlled..no side effect.no hypoglycemic episodes…..all patients tolerate Lantus.
Comment by Laura on 18 September 2009:
Started on Lantus approx in 2000. I now have breast cancer
Comment by shahid on 8 October 2009:
I Have Been Switched Since 8 Months To Lantus Insulin, But Now I feel It Work 12 Hours & Increase Blood Sugar Again.
Comment by June on 2 November 2009:
I have been switched from oral medication for Diabetes II SINCE mAY 2009 I AM 71 YRS OF AGE NORMALLY VERY ACTIVE AND WEIGH 54 kgs
iNITIALLY THERE APPEARED TO BE GLUCOSE CONTROL BUT NOW IT IS NOT HAVING MUCH EFFECT. i AM INJECTING IN THE MORNING 20 UNITS BUT AM USUALLY STARTING THE DAY WITH AN ELEVATED GLUCOSE LEVEL OF 1.89PLUS BEFORE I HAVE EATEN ANY BREAKFAST.I AM INCREASINGLY TIRED AND WITH A MARKED LACK OF CONCENTRATION AND MEMORY RECALL. I have increased in weight SINCE MAY BY SOME 4 KGS. I WATCH MY DIET BUT I FEEL THE DIABETES IS TAKING CONTROL AND PROGRESSING RAPIDLY.
Comment by Suzanne on 2 December 2009:
HELP im so scared,i am taking Lantus 1 shot a day it has been working pretty well,but i get headaches.now they want to change me to pills and byetta and i hear that ia so bad also….
Comment by Donna on 6 December 2009:
I have been a diebetic for 15 years and tried Byetta but made me very sick and now they have put me on Lantus for two weeks and have BAD headaches… and notices a weight gain and swelling in fingers and feet?
anyone have any answers
Comment by Carrie on 4 January 2010:
I have been taking lantus about 10 months .Shortly after starting I developed very bad bilateral shoulder pains which get worse at night.Like throbbing toothaches. I can hardly lift my arms they feel tired.I stopped taking the lantus about a week ago and the night shoulder pains are better.,but my arms are still weak.I want to know if anyone else has had this experience.?Also I have gaind an uncomfortable amount of weight especislly around the midsection.
Comment by clementine on 10 January 2010:
I am in my first month of lantus, 30 units at bedtime. started after been hospitalized for Sacardosis and being on steriods for 7 days. The lantus was unsed in hospital to control steriod elevated blood sugar. But was sent home on it with 1000mg of metformin twice daily with GlipiZide 10mg daily. But now I am constantly craving sweets, excessive weight gain and uncontrolled hunger as well as a blood sugar of 379 lowest one in seven days was 189. My upper shoulder behind left lung are has been hurting non-stop since i got started on lantus. the pain feels like its tearing right through my heart like muscles and nerves fighting eachother. the pain is nearly unbearable. Could this be my lantus?
Comment by nancy on 12 January 2010:
I have been taking the Lantus, once daily, just 22 units, for about three months now. It is interesting as I have such pain in my shoulders too, and at night it gets much worse. I have found if I take a magnet to each shoulder at night, it helps tremendously with the pain. If you get the magnet in the wrong place, it will cause more pain – just move it around until you can feel relief. I didn’t even think about the Lantus till reading these comments.
Comment by rodger on 24 January 2010:
i have been a diabetic since 1992′ i have been on orall medication up
till 2006 the medicine i take is actos -glyburidemetforum’ well it quit working so my doctor added lantis plus my oral meds.i have been taking this medicine since2006 ‘i take 20 units a day and it still does not keep my blood really good’ so the doctor want’s to keep increasing the lantis
i have done come to this conclusion if diabetes dosen’t get me the medicine will’think about it if they found a pill that would cure you the
pharmecitical s would loose a lot of money.