Skip to main content

Common Photosensitizing Drugs Increase Skin Cancer Risk

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 2, 2025.

via HealthDay

TUESDAY, April 1, 2025 -- Some commonly prescribed photosensitizing drugs increase skin cancer risk, according to a study published online March 18 in Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine.

Gustav Boelsgaard Christensen, from Skåne University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, and colleagues assessed whether the use of commonly prescribed photosensitizing drugs increases skin cancer risk.

The researchers found that hormone replacement therapy significantly increased the risk for basal cell carcinoma (BCC; hazard ratio [HR], 1.24), cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC; HR 1.23), and cutaneous malignant melanoma (cM; HR, 1.31), with estrogen driving the risk. There was a trend observed between a higher risk for BCC and cM and higher doses of estrogen treatment. Among individuals using diuretics, loop diuretics were associated with increased cSCC risk (HR, 1.6), including a positive association between risk and dose. Thiazide use was tied to increased risks for BCC (HR, 1.25) and cM (HR, 1.41). There was a possible curvilinear association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and BCC and cSCC.

"We suggest that physicians should advise female patients prescribed estrogen, thiazides, or loop diuretics to limit their sun exposure," the authors write. "Future well-designed prospective studies are warranted to further investigate the relationships between common photosensitizing drugs and the risk of skin cancer."

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Wrist Cooling May Help Manage Vasomotor Symptoms

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 24, 2025 -- Targeted wrist cooling may offer a safe approach for managing vasomotor symptoms, according to a study published online Sept. 20 in Endocrinology...

Low Metastasis Rate Seen for Radiation Plus Silicone Oil in Uveal Melanoma

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 24, 2025 -- Patients with uveal melanoma mainly treated with plaque brachytherapy with vitrectomy and silicone oil for radiation attenuation have low rates of...

Age at Start of Estrogen Therapy May Affect Alzheimer Disease Risk

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 24, 2025 -- Estrogen therapy may reduce Alzheimer disease (AD) risk, with lower risk seen in association with early initiation, according to a study presented at...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.