Doctors split on new report that sleeping pills can increase risk of brain cancer (2015/04/30)
Long-term
use of a common sleep medication can increase the risk of brain cancer
by 98 percent. That’s the conclusion of a study done by Taiwan’s College
of Medical Science and Technology. But some doctors are not completely
convinced.
Taiwanese take an average of 320 million sleeping
pills a year. A new report says that long-term use of sleeping pills can
increase the risk of several kinds of cancer, especially brain cancer.
Jack Li Dean, Medical Science and Technology College Whether
in animal trials or in epidemiological surveys like this, we have found
that sleeping pills can affect the risk of specific cancers.
Jack
Li’s team analyzed health insurance records in Taiwan from 1998 to 2011
and found that usage of the most common form of sleep medication –
benzodiazepines or BZD – increased the risk of brain cancer by 98
percent.
Jack Li Dean, Medical Science and Technology College The
principle behind BZD is that it enhances the actions of an inhibitory
neurotransmitter called GABA. It can cause cells to develop in different
ways or along different paths.
Some doctors are not sold on the findings.
Yeh Chin-bin Tri-Service General Hospital Psychiatrist Actually
in this kind of study, it did not account for risk factors like
smoking, drinking or even daily habits. This is something that has to be
understood.
Medical experts are urging patients with sleeping
disorders to discuss this with their doctors. They also advise against
unauthorized use or increased use of sleeping pills to prevent further
harm to one’s health.
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