On Lexapro For Anxiety. Does This Drug Increase The Risk Of Cancer?

Posted on Thu, 14 Nov 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 14 Nov 2013 Answered on

Sat, 30 Nov 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Im currently taking a drug called lexapro im taking it for six month now for anxiety. The drug make me feel stable i plan to take it long term. Recently my friend told me this drug increase the risk of cancer by alot. Is that true?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (24 minutes later)

Brief Answer: no known link Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic Lexapro belongs to the SSRI family of drugs. In 1992, a medical study suggested that one drug belonging to this family increased the risk of breast cancer. This suggestion has since been refuted or disproved. One study looked at women from 1988 to 2002, looked at over 5000 women and did not find any link between these drugs and breast cancer specifically.This article was printed in the american journal of epidemiology in november 2005. Another study done at harvard medical study looked at almost 80000 women and also found no connection. This was published in 2001. IN terms of other possible cancers, there is no established or known link between lexapro specifically and cancer. I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar