Folic acid and cancer risk

[Cathy777]

Had a shock as I accidentally came across an item saying folic acid increases risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer which I had, and the 5mg daily I take over 6 days is extremely above safety level. Anyone know about this?

[helixhelix]

Which article was it? I've read studies about small increases in cancer rates in rats, but also a study that analysed lots of smaller research projects with humans and came to the conclusion that the changes weren't significant. So since I'm a human being not a rat I stopped worrying. Plus there is other research that indicates that women on MTX have a lower rate of breast can we, so I also reckoned that evened things out.

Is this some new research?

I can understand if you've had breast cancer then you'll be extra careful, so maybe talk to your rheumy about it?

[Cathy777 in reply to helixhelix]

anhinternational.org is the site I was reading something but there is much more on it if you google folic acid and cancer. medicalnewstoday.com is another site.

[Amy_Lee]

Cathy777,

I did read that before, like helixhelix said, I will ignore the small increase in cancer rates, if any. I suggest you talk to your rheumy on your condition and get his or her advice.

Below link (page 2) did suggest otherwise: -

webmd.com/cancer/news/20091...

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

Thanks Amy for posting this link.

[Cathy777 in reply to Amy_Lee]

Thanks. I will ask about it. Thanks for the link. I am going to research a bit more too as I feel a bit uneasy. I always assumed folic acid to be very harmless. Its the quantity I take that concerns me most.

[Hidden]

Good God, I never heard that. Where did you read this? I take 5 mg 7 days a week, even on mtx day. I was told by my last rheumy that our bodies don't store folic acid....then again I went and got a new referal to another rheumy because I thought him incompatent......oh dear, I'm going to have to research this. Thanks for the "heads up" Cathy777.

[Cathy777 in reply to Hidden]

I don't want to scare everyone but we are all grown ups and need to know these things we are doing to our poor bodies.

[tishey]

Hi, could I ask why you all have to take so much folic acid each week, I am only prescribed 5mg once a week. Thanks.

[Moomin8 in reply to tishey]

Hi - mine increased when my mtx dose went up and it made me feel unwell along with increased mouth ulcers.

[Cathy777 in reply to Moomin8]

Me too. I think I want to lower it now. I may just drop down to taking it every other day til I talk to my cancer and rheumy docs.

[helixhelix in reply to tishey]

I only take 5mg. I took more when I had mouth ulcers, but then was able to drop down again.

[Cathy777 in reply to tishey]

Well we take so much because WE ARE TOLD TO! But I am beginning to think we need to question more. I always assumed folic acid was a harmless supplement and in small doses it probably is but most of us take 5mg each day 6 days a week! This seems exceptionally high now I am reading things about the side effects.

[tishey in reply to Cathy777]

Thank you, I know you are told to, I just wondered if there was a reason, as I have only been told to take one a week regardless of what dose I have been on it has never been changed. Different rheumatologists have different ways I guess.

[Cathy777 in reply to tishey]

Sorry I wasn't being sarcastic I just meant to express how we do just what we are told! We take it to counteract side effects of methotrexate. But I wonder if we really need that much. X

[helixhelix in reply to Cathy777]

I feel so lucky that up until now I have had a great rheumy who takes the time to explain things. She explained why she likes her patients to be on as low dose as possible, and only increases from 1 Tab if there's a need.

But yes, we should always ask questions - after all it's our body not the doctors'!

[Cathy777 in reply to helixhelix]

I think we are in such a state when we sit with doctors we just assume they always know what is right. I recall teachers who I always thought were right but with hindsight there are teachers I would like to confront now! Its an authority thing and doctors are seemingly figures of authority as they know more than us. I have had doctors who I found failing as well so we must be strong and question them. I may be totally wrong about folic acid but I may be right too! Thanks for your input its good to be able to discuss these things even if we don't all agree!

[Hidden in reply to Cathy777]

I think it's also good to question things.

[helixhelix]

Thanks for name - I looked at ANHinternational and it's based on the two studies I've read, so not new. But that seems a reasonably balanced site. I don't like Med News today as funded by advertising from drug companies and has a "medical" editorial team that doesn't have much medical expertise on it.

Because we already have a serious medical condition I do think we can be inclined to fret about these sorts of things. And when we hear the word "risk" we can tend to think the worst. For a lot of these sorts of reports when you dig down the risk is actually only a tiny, theoretical risk. And as yet there's no way to accurately predict which individuals in any population would be likely to suffer that risk because of, for example, their genetics. And more importantly no way to predict how this will play out for someone who already has a changed risk profile because of having RA in the first place!

So yes we need to be sensible, but also recognise that whatever we do we face risks. And without methotrexate (and the folic acid that's needed to balance it) we would have a much, much higher risk of rather unpleasant damage. So I know my choice.

[Cathy777 in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks for checking that and your feedback. Why do I still feel so uneasy about it! Most drugs we take are awful and are taken in desperation in the hope they will help our pain and sadly even then we seem to continue suffering as they don't work so well as expected and we move on to another poison. But folic acid is something that, if there are any potential risks, could be eliminated or greatly reduced. I may be panicking unduly but its something I need to investigate more.

[MickeyJoints in reply to helixhelix]

Amen to that, Helixhelix.

So often there are details released about some risk and when you investigate, it's negligible. I recall a headline sometime this year that blasted "50% increase in something horrible!". As the population incidence was about 1.5%, that took the risk to 2.25% (assuming my calculations are right).

Still a minor risk. And that's for in vitro (lab-based) experiments. Context is everything...

[PFKAAde in reply to MickeyJoints]

Similar to the processed meat (such as bacon) 'causes cancer' headline that the popular media like to promote. It was put into context (I can't remember where now) when a researcher said 'if you eat a bacon sandwich every day for the rest of your life, you are still way, way more likely to die in a road accident than from eating bacon', yet how many of us panic about getting in a car?

Relative risk is the only meaningful figure, but rarely used as it doesn't make for such good 'clickbait'.

[Cathy777 in reply to PFKAAde]

I see your point but we suffering serious illnesses are not just eating a bacon sandwich each day we are putting cancer drugs into our bodies. That to me ups the stakes somewhat! I have experienced what chemo drugs do and if I can avoid any excessive drugs I will research it. But I may be in the minority. Plus I don't eat meat!!

[Cathy777 in reply to Cathy777]

Life is full of risks especially these days. But I just think we need to understand more about what we are told by doctors to put in our bodies as that is something we have some control over. Unlike if we get on a plane which crashes.

[PFKAAde in reply to Cathy777]

Absolutely totally agree. Was in a rush earlier but what I was getting at is that there is an inherent risk involved in everything we do - but it's all relative. Without knowing the relative risk (increase) it is next to meaningless to say simply 'an increased risk'.

So if taking Xyz 'doubles your risk of getting toe cancer', you need to know what the risk was in the first place to know if double is something to worry about. If you had a 0.001% lifetime risk before, double now means you have a 0.002% lifetime risk. Still nothing to worry about.

Which is what mickey was referring to above.

And funny you should mention air travel in the context of risk - one of the commonly used examples of why we, as people, are so bad at assessing risk is that after 9/11 in the States lots of people chose to drive instead of using aircraft. This led to an extra 1500+ deaths because, as we all know, driving is statistically more dangerous than flying.

Ben Goldacre's book 'Bad Science' has an interesting take on the way that the popular media portrays this, along with how to read between the lines when you see a 'scientific study' used as 'evidence' for something. Well worth a read. IMHO.

🙂

[Cathy777 in reply to PFKAAde]

Thanks that is very interesting. I can believe about more people dying in car crashes than flying. I guess its because flying is a thing we don't do so regularly as well so we stop and think of the what if.... Whereas we jump in cars constantly and get immune to the dangers. I think I am a little sensitive right now about drugs. Even the news today is arguing over whether statins are more harmful than beneficial. Plus the biological drug I am on is still in its early days so the worry is there too. I just felt 'oh no not folic acid as well'! Thanks for your input it is always welcome. X

[Jenn22 in reply to Cathy777]

Having had several skin cancers myself, I share your concerns and I also have a very bad feeling about these meds and folic acid. My Rheumy had no information and seemingly no knowledge about cancer risks. We need more patient education!!

[AgedCrone]

I took 5mg Folic Acid 6 days a week for 7 year two years after I had breast cancer. It was never mentioned that I should not take it.

That was 15 years ago & I have had no cancer scares.