Pain Meds Can Lead to Kidney Cancer

In a recent minute, I discussed studies showing that 16,500 Americans die each year, and 120,000 are hospitalized annually due to complications from the use of over-the-counter pain relievers.

On February 20 a group of researchers from Harvard published one more worrisome study on the subject. They are reporting that people who use non-aspirin, NSAIDs such as Advil and Motrin, have a 51% increase in the risk of getting a form of kidney cancer. And that people who use acetaminophen, which is the generic name for Tylenol, have a  28% increase risk of kidney cancers compared to those who do not use these medications.

It appears that the risk increases the longer you take these medications. This doesn’t mean that you need to throw them all away, but you do need to take them only as needed, and for the shortest possible time. Personally, I take none of the above, and do not recommend them for my patients.