On Wednesday, Diane Wysowski of the Food and Drug Administration’s division of drug risk assessment said there are potential links between bisphosphonate drugs prescribed for osteoporosis, and esophageal cancer.
Reports of cancer incidence have been received from the US, Europe, and Japan. Typically, tumors appeared two years after starting therapy with the drugs.
Such drugs include Merck’s Fosamax, Proctor & Gamble’s Actonel or risedronate and Didronel or etidronate, and Roche’s Boniva or ibandronate.
The drugs were developed to increase bone mass in an effort to treat osteoporosis, a condition which weakens bones.
Other side effects of the drugs have been reported, but the FDA stated in November that the clinical trials showed no overall risk of heart rhythm problems. Conflicting reports may call for further investigation.
What is known is that the drugs can cause esophagitis, an inflammation of the esophagus. Now, with the possible link to esophageal cancer, there is added cause for concern with bisphosphonate drugs.
