Following a review by the European Medicines Agency, product information for the diabetic ulcer treatment becaplermin (Regranex) has been updated to include malignancy as a general contraindication.
The gel was previously contraindicated only in patients with skin cancer close to the application site.
In a retrospective study, patients who used three or more tubes of becaplermin had a 5.2 times greater risk of dying from cancer than matched controls, although their overall incidence of cancer was not increased.
Further information: Janssen-Cilag
