I was very healthy, was put on Restasis for dry eye. several months later 2 malignant melanomas, then blood cancer. research shows it is an immune suppressant and causes cancer, so there must be others out there with this experience. Thx
Has anyone else developed cancer after being on Restasis?
Question posted by rooo on 8 Jan 2015
Last updated on 10 February 2024 by heartnbutterfly
7 Answers
heartnbutterfly
10 Feb 2024
I was just started on Restasis about a month ago & last night as I was lying in bed this question entered my mind. I searched the internet & came across your question.
Cyclosporine & all immunosuppressants do indeed cause cancer. My otherwise healthy daddy had a liver transplant & was put on cyclosporine. He was in his late 60's at the time of the transplant & had never had any form of cancer before. He started getting the less serious forms of skin cancer about 8 - 10 years later. These cancers were easily treated with skin creams that caused them to fall off. Then he developed melanoma on the top of his scalp, requiring a skin graft. He then was diagnosed with stage 3 esophageal cancer & went through chemo & radiation. In Nov 2012, I noticed a large lump on the back of his neck while he was leaving my house after Thanksgiving dinner. He wanted to wait until after the holidays to see the Dr.
I begged him not to wait. The lump grew quickly. It ended up being a highly aggressive & rare form of skin cancer called Merkyl Cell Carcinoma. There was no fighting it & he was given 6 - 8 weeks.
I went to all of the oncology appointments with him. The oncologist admitted that immunosuppressants cause cancer - especially skin cancer. He said without any doubt my dad's cancer was due to his transplant treatment. According to the oncologist, the skin cancers follow the same path as his. They start out as the more innocent ones & progressive to the serious & deadly ones. Typically, skin cancers begin within 10 years after beginning immunosuppressants. The oncologist said he was very sorry, but that without the transplant people would die within a short amount of time. It buys the patient many more years with their family & loved ones. It allowed my dad to watch my oldest daughter enter middle school & see my youngest daughter born. She was around 3 when he died.
When I noticed that the main ingredient was the same immunosuppressant that killed my daddy, it made me very nervous. Frankly, I'm scared to use it now. It's offered some relief in the past month, so I'm going to do more research & ask my eye Dr questions when I see him for the follow up next month.
Good luck to you & I hope you've recovered and are doing well.
SaffronSugar
1 Sep 2020
The short answer is no. Immunosuppressants are known to cause skin cancer, specifically. People who have had organ transplants (after 20 years on Calcineurin inhibitors and corticosteroids) have a 50% chance of getting skin cancer.
Just taking oral corticosteroids for a year or less will not cause skin cancer and topical steroids in the tiny dose you get in Restasis eyedrops will absolutely not cause blood cancer.
I am very sorry to hear about your condition though.
cheryl4747
3 July 2019
I was prescribed Restasis. I purchased it and then in reading the insert, the first thing listed is (in bold print ) CAN CAUSE PANCREATIC CANCER. I didn't take it. I went back to the Dr. You won't believe this... he was furious and said, "What... haven't you ever heard of anyone dying of cancer before?" I told him yes I sadly have and that's why I refuse to take it. His remark didn't even make sense, he just desperately wanted to argue because someone actually didn't agree with him and stepped on his toes, however he couldn't think of an intelligent comeback. So yes it can cause cancer. I called and wrote to the company and threatened to make this fact known and in a matter of days they refunded the money.
rshoff
21 Sep 2018
I had used restasis successfully for a couple of years. I was switched to Xiidra because my insurance dropped coverage for restasis. Xiidra caused irritation with very gooey discharge, blurred vision, and other unpleasant side effects for up to an hour after administering each dose. So my opthamologist switched me back to restasis with approval from my insurance. Now I’m concerned about the immunosuppressive effect of cyclosporine and the risk of cancer. So the short answer is that I had no problems after using restasis for a couple of years, but I am worried about using it now.
Your question was a couple of years ago, I hope you have recovered and are doing well now.
Shua
31 Aug 2017
I had been on Restasis for approximately 2 years when I developed an aggressive form of Squamous Cell skin cancer right under one eye. Even though I had Mohs surgery, it grew back within the year. I had no other known risk factors.
smlang85
12 Jan 2015
rooo - I would like to get in contact with you. My 51 year old mother was diagnosed with a tumor in her upper sinus cavity and lymphoma in December and started on Restasis in June. She had wanted me to look into this further. Obviously, we don't for sure but definitely think it's worth looking into.
Steph
oominim
25 Jan 2018
Please tell us how your mom is doing these days.
I am 51, have been using Xiidra (similar to Restasis) for a few weeks. I am not a fan of the side effects I've been experiencing.
One of the side effects, I had noticed right after I use Xiidra that it forms white stuff at the corners of your eye. If you don't do anything with them, they turn crusty and if they fall in your eye, they sting and burn and hurt.
This next part is even grosser, so excuse me.
So, last Saturday, I was clearing my sinuses and a chunk of smooth white mass covered in white mucus came out...
It was about 1/2"+ long and 1/8" - 1/4" wide. Almost rectangular.
It was my final straw to stop using this stuff. If it hadn't passed that easily, I could see how it could become a tumor or something. If it hadn't created the white mucus, it could have just stayed in my sinus cavity and festered, had my sinuses been dry.
kaismama
8 Jan 2015
It doesn't "cause" cancer. Immuno suppressents effect your ability to fight off cancer. Used locally in the eye its effect on the rest of the body is minimal.
BewitchedFae
14 June 2017
I have bad news for you kaismama , I was told by my Optomolgist that it does cause cancer and it is the reason he took himself off the list and, does not recommend it. He gave me 3 choices for treatment. Scleral lens is the lesser evil and my choice.
Related topics
restasis, eye conditions, eye dryness/redness, melanoma, cancer, blood cancer, blood, eye
Further information
- Restasis uses and safety info
- Restasis prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Restasis (detailed)
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