NSAID Painkillers Could Increase Kidney Cancer Risk: Study

According to the findings of a new study, a popular class of widely used pain medications that include Motrin, Advil and Aleve could be linked to an increased risk of kidney cancer. 

Harvard Medical School researchers published research in the Archives of Internal Medicine this week that found users of many over-the-counter medications known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) face a more than 50% increased risk of kidney cancer.

The study comes less than a week after Canadian researchers reported that there could be a link between NSAIDs and miscarriages.

The Harvard researchers looked at more than 125,000 men and women who used NSAIDs, acetaminophen or aspirin for extended periods of time and found that NSAID users were 51% more likely to be diagnosed with renal cell cancer. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and many other medications, and aspirin were not associated with any increased kidney cancer risk, according to the study’s results.

The findings indicated that there was a dose-response relationship, meaning the more Aleve, Motrin or Advil you took, the higher your risk of kidney cancer. Those who took the drugs 10 years or more were at nearly triple the risk of kidney cancer than those who did not use the painkillers.

According to the Canadian study published last week, use of NSAIDs during pregnancy were linked to double the risk of spontaneous abortions. However, there was no dose-response relationship seen in that study.

Two months ago, a number of studies found that NSAIDs were associated with an increased risk of heart problems, with one research team from the University of Florida determining that NSAID users had a 47% increased risk of cardiovascular events.

None of the studies found a causal link between the painkillers and heart, kidney or pregnancy problems.