Kathmandu. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified three common drugs as carcinogenic group 1. This means that their use can increase the risk of cancer.
They are used by millions of people around the world to treat high blood pressure, fungal infections and organ transplant rrejection. Experts emphasize that this classification only identifies the risk and that patients should not stop treatment without consulting a doctor.
hydrochlorothiazide
A study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the WHO’s cancer research agency, identified the risks of these drugs. The IARC said there was “substantial evidence” that hydrochlorothiazide can cause squamous cell carcinoma and lip cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type of skin cancer.
Studies conducted in the US and Denmark have found that patients who used hydrochlorothiazide for a long time had higher rates of skin cancer. This is due to phototoxicity. This means that the drug increases the skin’s sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This increases the risk of DNA damage when exposed to the sun.
Bhoriconazole
Voriconazole is also associated with squamous cell skin in patients who have been transplanted for a long time. This is also due to the phototoxic mechanism. This drug promotes some types of skin cancer.
Tacralimus
Tacrolimus has been linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders. Evidence of leukemia and skin carcinoma is limited. The risk is associated with suppression of the immune system. This weakens the body’s ability to remove abnormal cells. – Agency
