Pimecrolimus and tacrolimus and the risk of cancer | Life and style | BMJ Group for eczema. Cancer has also been found in animals when these drugs were tested in higher doses than usual.[1] But it's not clear whether the cancer was caused by these drugs, or whether it would have happened anyway. The European Medicines Agency says it may take years of studying the effects of pimecrolimus and tacrolimus in people with eczema before we know for certain whether there's a real risk of cancer.[2] So far, there have only been short-term studies, looking at people who've used these drugs for a year or two at most.
