Frequent Acetaminophen Use Linked to Blood Cancers

Regular use of the popular pain reliever acetaminophen may be linked to an elevated risk of blood cancers. That’s the conclusion of a large epidemiologic study of nearly 65,000 men and women. These subjects were recruited between 2000 and 2002. They were surveyed about medication and supplement use, health history and risk factors, and diet. In particular, they were asked about the use of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen as well as acetaminophen, the ingredient in Tylenol. The investigators followed these volunteers until December 2008 with a particular focus on any cancer diagnosis. Although aspirin and NSAID use did not appear to alter the likelihood of developing cancer, regular use of acetaminophen [4 times a week for more than 4 years] doubled the chance of developing leukemia or lymphoma. Because blood cancers are so rare, the impact of acetaminophen was quite small overall. Nevertheless, there is a growing recognition that a medication that is perceived to be one of the safest drugs in the pharmacy may have some unexpected risks.
[Journal of Clinical Oncology, online, May 9, 2011]