Paracetamol use is associated with increases with many cancers

This study was published in the International Journal of Cancer 2002 Jan 1;97(1):96-101

Study title and autors:

Cancer risk in persons receiving prescriptions for paracetamol: a Danish cohort study.

Friis S, Nielsen GL, Mellemkjaer L, McLaughlin JK, Thulstrup AM, Blot WJ, Lipworth L, Vilstrup H, Olsen JH.

Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark. friis@cancer.dk

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11774249

Cancer incidence among 39,946 individuals receiving prescriptions for paracetamol was compared with expected incidence with individuals who did not receive paracetamol prescriptions over a 9 year period.

The study found, that compared to people who did not take paracetamol;

• Esophagus cancer was 90% higher in people who took paracetamol.
• Lung cancer was 60% higher in people who took paracetamol.
• Liver cancer was 50% higher in people who took paracetamol.
• Kidney cancer was 60%  higher in people who took paracetamol.
• Bladder cancer was 10%  higher in people who took paracetamol.

This study reveals that paracetamol use is associated with increases with many cancers.