Cancer: Drugs

Drugs

  • Estrogen therapy – e.g., hormone replacement therapy for more than five years increases breast cancer risk
  • Testosterone therapy – promoter (see topic “carcinogenesis – carcinogenesis”) of a prostate cancer.
  • According to the current state of science, oral contraceptives (birth control pills) increase the risk of developing breast cancer (breast cancer) – not yet fully scientifically researched – only by a factor of 1.2 to 1.5 when taken for more than five years
  • Some cytostatic drugs increase the risk of a second tumor
  • “Iron overload” – Unbound free iron has a cytotoxic effect, meaning it damages cells. Iron is also discussed as a prooxidant associated with the development of cardiovascular disease – such as coronary artery disease resulting in myocardial infarction (heart attack) – and neurodegenerative disease – for example, Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease – and as a promoter of tumor disease. The underlying mechanism is thought to be that iron promotes oxidative stress via its key catalytic function in the formation of cytotoxic oxygen and hydroxyl radicals, for example in the course of Fenton and Haber-Weiss reactions. Individuals suffering from hemochromatosis (iron storage disease), for example, have an increased risk of liver cell cancer. In addition, a study from the United States showed that elevated serum iron levels are associated with an increased risk of tumor disease.
  • Immunosuppressive therapies
  • Lifelong immunosuppression of organ transplant recipients increases cancer mortality 2.84-fold (compared with general population)
  • Second tumor risk is increased after chemotherapy in: