What Kind of Cancer Does Zantac Cause?

What kind of cancer does Zantac cause? This commonly used medication for heartburn and acid reflux is associated with various forms of cancer. Doctors mainly associate the older version of Zantac, which contained ranitidine, with bladder, stomach, intestine, esophagus, kidney, liver, and pancreatic cancers.

Understanding this correlation is vital for those who have used Zantac and are concerned about their health and legal options. A personal injury lawyer may help you seek compensation for cancers caused by Zantac.

Contact us to schedule a free consultation with a Zantac cancer lawsuit lawyer, or continue reading to learn more about the correlation between Zantac and cancer and the resulting litigation.

What Cancers Come From Zantac Usage?

Medical professionals identify associate the development of several cancers with Zantac usage, including:

• Bladder cancer
• Breast cancer
• Colon cancer (or intestinal cancer)
• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Liver cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Melanoma
• Ovarian cancer
• Stomach cancer (or gastric cancer)

Some of these types of cancer have a stronger connection to the human carcinogen contained in Zantac than others. You can discuss your specific cancer risks with a medical professional. A doctor can also go over Zantac cancer symptoms with you.

How Does Zantac Contribute to the Potential Risks of Cancer?

People who took Zantac and filed lawsuits reported being diagnosed with various cancers (including esophageal cancer) linked to the drug and n-nitroso dimethylamine (NDMA), a carcinogenic chemical in the old version of Zantac.

Many doctors who diagnosed cancer in people who took Zantac reported that their patients had no genetic markers for cancer or family history. Doctors instead believed that environmental factors, including NDMA contamination, were to blame for the cancers.

Bladder cancer may have the strongest connection among the many health conditions linked to Zantac. If you or a loved one were diagnosed with cancer after taking Zantac, an attorney can evaluate your situation and tell you whether you qualify for a lawsuit.

Do Animal Studies Point to Serious Concerns About NDMA?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), scientists showed a link between exposure to NDMA and lung and liver cancer development in mice, rats, hamsters, and other animals. The agency claims that there is no proof of NDMA causing cancer in humans but admits it may be possible.

It is also important to note that animal research shows NDMA can cause severe liver and lung cancer and other types of liver damage. Even when the animals ate, drank, or inhaled NDMA-contaminated food, water, or air in only small amounts over a long period, it caused significant damage.

Over days or weeks, animals exposed to higher levels of NDMA developed severe liver damage and internal bleeding and eventually died. The results of this study suggest that Zantac can cause human liver and lung cancer.

Can You Prove a Link Between Zantac, NDMA, and Your Cancer?

Before recovering compensation in a Zantac cancer lawsuit, you must prove a link between your ranitidine use and your cancer diagnosis. Again, research points to lung and liver cancer as the kinds of cancer Zantac may cause.

This proof may require gathering and presenting dozens of studies related to NDMA exposure, identifying and working with numerous expert witnesses, and taking other steps to:

• Help the court understand NDMA, its uses, and its dangers.
• Explain how NDMA exposure may be exponentially higher than it seems with these medications.
• Link NDMA exposure to the type of cancer you have.

If you can participate in multidistrict litigation (MDL), you will share this burden with the other claimants. The advantage of multidistrict litigation is that you work with others who file similar cases during discovery, pre-trial motions, and the initial handful of trials.

In this situation, you would not need to hire experts or understand complex scientific research independently. Instead, you could share the cost and responsibility with others in the multidistrict litigation.

These MDL claims stem from similar cases brought together under the mass tort against the makers of the heartburn and reflux medication Zantac and its generic equivalents. Regarding the kind of cancer Zantac can cause, research mainly points to liver, bladder, and lung cancer. However, doctors have blamed the drug for many other cancer types.

The Zantac Cancer Lawsuit History and 2023 Update

The concern over the popular heartburn and acid reflux medication Zantac began in the fall of 2019. It quickly escalated into a voluntary recall, plus an overabundance of caution to pull all ranitidine products from shelves in many locations.

Studies showed that some ranitidine-based heartburn medications contained the probable carcinogen or metabolized into it.

Within weeks, the first suits were filed, with claimants alleging Zantac caused them to develop cancer. As of February 19, 2020, there were already over 100 lawsuits in approved multidistrict litigation against the manufacturers of these drugs. These lawsuits targeted both prescription and over-the-counter ranitidine products.

What Arguments Did Lawyers Present in Past Lawsuits?

In cases brought before the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation as early as March 2020, claimants alleged that Zantac and other generic version ranitidine drugs could cause a wide variety of cancers in many parts of the body because they contain N-nitroso dimethylamine or NDMA.

According to a product liability litigation involving Zantac from Docket Bird, plaintiffs cited multiple studies demonstrating NDMA’s tendency to cause tumors at various organ sites, including the intestine, stomach, esophagus, liver, pancreas, bladder, and kidneys.

2023 Zantac Cancer Lawsuit Update

In December 2022, a judge dismissed thousands of Zantac and other ranitidine cases because the involved pharmaceutical companies claimed insufficient evidence. While litigation could be an uphill battle in 2023, several lawsuits are still pending.

A product liability lawyer from our firm can explain how these pending lawsuits could affect your case. If you received a cancer diagnosis after using Zantac, you can contact us to learn more about your legal options.

Take Action to Hold the Drug Companies Accountable Today

If you used Zantac or generic medication and later received a cancer diagnosis, we encourage you to take action today. You may be able to hold the drug companies liable for damages, recovering money to help you pay for your treatment and care, loss of income, and pain and suffering.

While there may still be time to file an individual lawsuit, join the multidistrict litigation, or participate in a class action, if any are still pending, there will be a deadline for filing these types of cases. It’s essential to act now before you lose the right to do so.

Talk to a Zantac Cancer Attorney About Your Case

What kind of cancer does Zantac cause? The medication could lead to gastric cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and many other forms of cancer.

At Zanes Law, our Zantac cancer lawyers accept ranitidine cancer cases from anywhere in the United States. We will review your case for free and may help you pursue a payout based on the facts of your case.

Time is of the essence as these cases are getting more difficult to litigate. Call now or fill out the online contact form to schedule a consultation with a member of our team. We can handle your free case evaluation in one phone call.