Zyprexa Breast Cancer Lawsuit

While each person may have a different reaction to Zyprexa, Lilly lists a variety of side effects that are provided to both providers and patients. The most notable of these effects are changes in metabolism and weight gain, as well as constipation, dizziness, tremors, and fatigue. While these effects are disclosed to patients before administration, the risk of breast cancer.

A study by Rahman et al. published in 2022 documents that women who take antipsychotics are generally more likely to develop breast cancer due to an increased presence of prolactin. Prolactin is produced in most people normally; however, increased prolactin levels have been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. The aforementioned study found that using Zyprexa, which has a medium propensity to produce prolactin, leads to a 54% increased risk of breast cancer for women who take the drug or its generics. These findings are not novel. A previous study by Pottegard et al. conducted in 2018 found similar results, ultimately finding that second-generation antipsychotics like Zyprexa increase breast cancer risk in women who use such drugs long-term, which was defined as having more than 10,000 mg cumulative dose, with risk increasing for a cumulative dose of greater than 50,000 mg. Another 2018 study found similar data: those using prolactin-increasing antipsychotics like Zyprexa are 56% more likely to develop breast cancer after use for more than five years.