Do Paxil Side Effects Include a Risk of Breast Cancer?

Boston, MANew research suggests that scientists should examine the possibility that Paxil side effects could include a risk of breast cancer. The research, which examined the risks associated with antidepressants, suggested a link between the use of certain antidepressants and breast and ovarian cancer. Previous research suggests that Paxil side effects include a risk of Paxil birth defects.

The new research involved a review of 61 studies, and suggests a link between the use of antidepressant drugs and breast and ovarian cancer. According to the research, the risk of cancer increased an average of 11 percent for patients who took antidepressants. Furthermore, the link was stronger in patients who took selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressant that includes Paxil.

Of 16 studies that examined SSRIs, 15 found a higher risk of cancer, leading researchers to conclude that further research should be done on the use of SSRIs in women and the possible association with cancer.

One of the studies included in the review was published in 2000, and found that women taking Paxil faced a sevenfold increase in the risk of breast cancer when compared to women who used no antidepressants.

Furthermore, researchers involved in the review, published in PLoS ONE (plosone.org; 04/06/11), found that of the 15 cases where the lead researcher had a connection to an antidepressant drugmaker, not one found a link between the antidepressant and cancer. Of the 46 studies that did not indicate a connection between the lead researcher and a pharmaceutical company, 43 percent found an increased risk of cancer.

In total, 20 of the 61 studies included in the review suggested a link between antidepressant use and cancer.

"Both the pre-clinical and clinical data are mixed in terms of showing an association between AD [antidepressant] use and breast and ovarian cancer," researchers concluded. "The possibility that Ads may exhibit a biphasic effect, whereby short-term use and/or low dose antidepressants may increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, warrants further investigation."

Meanwhile, a study conducted by GlaxoSmithKline concluded that Paxil might be linked to an increased risk of suicidal behavior, although the rate of suicidal attempts was considered low, at 0.34 percent. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.