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Oral bisphosphonates can cause esophageal inflammation, which, in turn, is a risk factor for esophageal cancer. In this case-control study, researchers investigated whether oral bisphosphonate use is associated with esophageal and other gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.
The U.K. General Practice Research Database was used to identify nearly 16,000 adults with esophageal, stomach, or colorectal cancer that was diagnosed between 1995 and 2005. Each case patient was matched to five control patients without GI cancer. One or more oral bisphosphonate prescriptions were associated with a 30% increased risk for esophageal cancer; this elevated risk, however, was restricted largely to patients with 10 or more prescriptions. Among those who used oral bi…