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Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors Linked to Melanoma

WASHINGTON, DC—Men who use sildenafil (Viagra) and other phosphodiesterase 5A inhibitors to counter erectile dysfunction appear to have a possible risk of developing melanoma. In a study that included 525,523 adult men, and after adjusting for age and race, researchers found 36 of 5,307 men who had taken sildenafil were also diagnosed with melanoma—indicating a twofold excess risk of melanoma compared with men not on the phosphodiesterase 5A inhibitors (P<0.001). Similarly, 30 of 5,933 men who were taking tadalafil (Cialis) also developed melanoma, translating to a 1.6-fold risk of getting the skin cancer (P=0.01), said Peter Boor, MD, who performed the study while a clinical research fellow in dermatology at the Northwestern University, Chicago. In addition, Boor and his research team also noted eight of 1,117 men who were exposed to vardenafil (Levitra) also developed melanoma, but that relationship fell short of statistical significance (P=0.058). However, he told Oncology Times the study did not take into consideration other possible confounders. “We are working on a multivariate analysis that would include such things as co-morbidities, sun exposure, and cigarette smoking,” he said. He also said his study does not take into account a possible dose response relationship