Does Ritalin Increase Cancer Risk in Children

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_frien...149128,00.html

Does Ritalin Increase Cancer Risk in Children?

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

By Salynn Boyles



Early research is raising concerns about the drug Ritalin (search),
suggesting that children who take it may have an increased risk of
cancer.

All 12 of the children included in the study experienced an increase in
chromosome abnormalities three months after starting Ritalin.
Chromosome damage has been linked to heightened cancer risk and to
other health problems.

While potentially alarming, researchers say much larger studies are
needed to confirm the preliminary findings.

"Nobody is saying that because a child takes Ritalin he or she will
develop cancer," toxicologist and senior investigator Marvin Legator,
PhD, tells WebMD. "There is nothing certain about this yet, but this
is potentially a very large risk factor."

50 Years of Use

Ritalin is a stimulant widely prescribed for the treatment of attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (search) (ADHD), with roughly 10 million
prescriptions filled each year in the United States. The
amphetamine-like drug has been approved for more than five decades. But
sales of Ritalin and chemically similar drugs increased by more than
500 percent in the 1990s.

Several animal studies have suggested a link between Ritalin use and
cancer, but there has been no evidence linking long-term use of the
drug to human cancers.

The newly published study is the first to examine the
chromosome-damaging potential of Ritalin. It will be published in an
upcoming issue of the journal Cancer Letters.

Researchers from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
recruited a dozen children with ADHD for the study. The children were
about 8 years old and had been prescribed Ritalin at normal therapeutic
doses (20-54 mg/day) but had not begun taking it.

Blood samples were taken from the children before and three months
after starting Ritalin. White blood cells were tested for chromosomal
damage using several testing methods.

Lead researcher Randa A. El-Zein, MD, PhD, and colleagues found a
threefold increase in the level of chromosomal damage in the samples
taken after the children were started on Ritalin.

"It was pretty surprising to me that all of the children taking
[Ritalin] showed an increase in chromosome abnormalities in a
relatively short period of time," El-Zein says.

Why Are Some Experts Skeptical?

Oncologist Herman Kattlove, MD, tells WebMD he remains skeptical about
a link between Ritalin and cancer, noting that chromosomal damage and
repair is common. Kattlove is a spokesman for the American Cancer
Society.

"We all have chromosomal breaks," he says. "That is part of the
normal behavior of a cell. But fortunately, we have repair mechanisms
which keep us from getting into trouble."

Kattlove says the study does raise questions about Ritalin and other
drugs of its class that should be investigated further.

"It is very unlikely that this would be a source of cancer in humans,
but since this question has been raised it would be worthwhile to do a
clinical study," he says.

Pediatric oncologist Stephen A. Feig, MD, agrees that the risk, if any,
is likely to be small.

"We don't know if this is of any clinical significance, because we
don't know if the cells are repairing themselves," he tells WebMD.
"It seems that in the 50 years that Ritalin has been on the market an
increase in cancer risk would be obvious."


By Salynn Boyles, reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD


SOURCES: El-Zein, R. Cancer Letters, 2005. Randa A. El-Zein, MD, PhD,
department of epidemiology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center, Houston. Marvin S. Legator, PhD, professor and director,
division of environmental toxicology, University of Texas Medical
Branch, Galveston. Herman Kattlove, MD, medical oncologist; spokesman,
American Cancer Society. Stephen Feig, MD, professor of pediatrics,
division of hematology-oncology, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer
Center, Los Angeles.

No wonder they these Drug Pushers keep the Internet filled with their
Dealers and Liars ... so much to hide.

Very sad to read this ... thank you for posting it.



On 2 Mar 2005 16:56:11 -0800, "Jan" wrote:

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_frien...149128,00.html

Does Ritalin Increase Cancer Risk in Children?

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

By Salynn Boyles



Early research is raising concerns about the drug Ritalin (search),
suggesting that children who take it may have an increased risk of
cancer.

All 12 of the children included in the study experienced an increase in
chromosome abnormalities three months after starting Ritalin.
Chromosome damage has been linked to heightened cancer risk and to
other health problems.

While potentially alarming, researchers say much larger studies are
needed to confirm the preliminary findings.

"Nobody is saying that because a child takes Ritalin he or she will
develop cancer," toxicologist and senior investigator Marvin Legator,
PhD, tells WebMD. "There is nothing certain about this yet, but this
is potentially a very large risk factor."

50 Years of Use

Ritalin is a stimulant widely prescribed for the treatment of attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (search) (ADHD), with roughly 10 million
prescriptions filled each year in the United States. The
amphetamine-like drug has been approved for more than five decades. But
sales of Ritalin and chemically similar drugs increased by more than
500 percent in the 1990s.

Several animal studies have suggested a link between Ritalin use and
cancer, but there has been no evidence linking long-term use of the
drug to human cancers.

The newly published study is the first to examine the
chromosome-damaging potential of Ritalin. It will be published in an
upcoming issue of the journal Cancer Letters.

Researchers from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
recruited a dozen children with ADHD for the study. The children were
about 8 years old and had been prescribed Ritalin at normal therapeutic
doses (20-54 mg/day) but had not begun taking it.

Blood samples were taken from the children before and three months
after starting Ritalin. White blood cells were tested for chromosomal
damage using several testing methods.

Lead researcher Randa A. El-Zein, MD, PhD, and colleagues found a
threefold increase in the level of chromosomal damage in the samples
taken after the children were started on Ritalin.

"It was pretty surprising to me that all of the children taking
[Ritalin] showed an increase in chromosome abnormalities in a
relatively short period of time," El-Zein says.

Why Are Some Experts Skeptical?

Oncologist Herman Kattlove, MD, tells WebMD he remains skeptical about
a link between Ritalin and cancer, noting that chromosomal damage and
repair is common. Kattlove is a spokesman for the American Cancer
Society.

"We all have chromosomal breaks," he says. "That is part of the
normal behavior of a cell. But fortunately, we have repair mechanisms
which keep us from getting into trouble."

Kattlove says the study does raise questions about Ritalin and other
drugs of its class that should be investigated further.

"It is very unlikely that this would be a source of cancer in humans,
but since this question has been raised it would be worthwhile to do a
clinical study," he says.

Pediatric oncologist Stephen A. Feig, MD, agrees that the risk, if any,
is likely to be small.

"We don't know if this is of any clinical significance, because we
don't know if the cells are repairing themselves," he tells WebMD.
"It seems that in the 50 years that Ritalin has been on the market an
increase in cancer risk would be obvious."


By Salynn Boyles, reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD


SOURCES: El-Zein, R. Cancer Letters, 2005. Randa A. El-Zein, MD, PhD,
department of epidemiology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center, Houston. Marvin S. Legator, PhD, professor and director,
division of environmental toxicology, University of Texas Medical
Branch, Galveston. Herman Kattlove, MD, medical oncologist; spokesman,
American Cancer Society. Stephen Feig, MD, professor of pediatrics,
division of hematology-oncology, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer
Center, Los Angeles.

"Ilena Rose" wrote in message
...


No wonder they these Drug Pushers keep the Internet filled with their
Dealers and Liars ... so much to hide.

Very sad to read this ... thank you for posting it.

I am very happy to read this. I am glad these researchers are looking into
this.

However, this is just one study, which has not even been published yet.

I would like to see this further investigated.

However, I don't see that anyone is hiding anything. Except for this study,
I don't see any reason to suspect that methylphenidate is related to cancer.
Nor do I know of any studies that show an increased rate of cancer amoung
kids who take methylphenidate.

So what are the drug companies hiding?

Jeff

Jeff wrote:
"Ilena Rose" wrote in message
...


No wonder they these Drug Pushers keep the Internet filled with
their
Dealers and Liars ... so much to hide.

Very sad to read this ... thank you for posting it.

I am very happy to read this. I am glad these researchers are looking
into
this.

However, this is just one study, which has not even been published
yet.

I would like to see this further investigated.

You might be aware that many ADHD drugs are being questioned, even by
the medical profession. The fact they have been so freely given, NOT
within guide lines as labeled from years ago, and now even to babies,
and the increase has been overwhleming, WITHOUT any long term studies
opening a wave of questions and concerns.

However, I don't see that anyone is hiding anything. Except for this
study,
I don't see any reason to suspect that methylphenidate is related to
cancer.

You are blinded, the reason were given.

Nor do I know of any studies that show an increased rate of cancer
amoung
kids who take methylphenidate.

Well you just read one.

So what are the drug companies hiding?

Jeff

Oh for pete sake, Jeff you were also glad the FDA was doing their job,
when it fact they were caught covering up the fact that the drug they
had approved was CAUSING suicides among teenagers, while advertised to
do the opposite.


But you a

*very happy to read this. I am glad these researchers are looking into
this.*

Tra la laa.

Jan

"Jan" wrote in message
ups.com...

Jeff wrote:
"Ilena Rose" wrote in message
...


No wonder they these Drug Pushers keep the Internet filled with
their
Dealers and Liars ... so much to hide.

Very sad to read this ... thank you for posting it.

I am very happy to read this. I am glad these researchers are looking
into
this.

However, this is just one study, which has not even been published
yet.

I would like to see this further investigated.

You might be aware that many ADHD drugs are being questioned, even by
the medical profession. The fact they have been so freely given, NOT
within guide lines as labeled from years ago, and now even to babies,
and the increase has been overwhleming, WITHOUT any long term studies
opening a wave of questions and concerns.

Can you please provide the evidence that ADHD drugs are given to babies?

I agree that long-term studies should be done.


However, I don't see that anyone is hiding anything. Except for this
study,
I don't see any reason to suspect that methylphenidate is related to
cancer.

You are blinded, the reason were given.

What was there to hide? I don't believe that this sort of study was done
before with Ritalin.

Nor do I know of any studies that show an increased rate of cancer
amoung
kids who take methylphenidate.

Well you just read one.

No, I didn't. I read a Fox news report about a study that showed 12 kids who
took ritalin had increased rates of chomosomal abnormalities. I did not read
the actually study, which has not been published yet. I did not read
anything about any of these kids developing cancer or anything about kids
taking ritalin getting cancer at a higher rate than the general population.


So what are the drug companies hiding?

Jeff

Oh for pete sake, Jeff you were also glad the FDA was doing their job,
when it fact they were caught covering up the fact that the drug they
had approved was CAUSING suicides among teenagers, while advertised to
do the opposite.

Actually, this shows the FDA was doing their job. When they discovered the
problem, they made sure appropriate action was taken, like put appropriate
warning labels and notifying doctors.

I do beleive that the FDA needs to improve its job of licensing drugs and
post-licensing survalience.

Jeff



But you a

*very happy to read this. I am glad these researchers are looking into
this.*

Tra la laa.

Jan

On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 08:46:15 -0500, "Jeff"
wrote:

I do beleive that the FDA needs to improve its job of licensing drugs and
post-licensing survalience.

Jeff


I have no doubt (LOL) that the FDA considers loser flacks from the
Quack Team who never even received a non restricted medical license
.... and who believe that disbarred attorneys are telling the truth
about their Disbarment ...

a major source of "information" ...

http://www.humanticsfoundation.com/Q...ersVsIlena.htm