Context

Oral bisphosphonates are the most prescribed class of medications used for the prevention of osteoporosis in women. In recent years, there has been great interest in the possible association between use of oral bisphosphonates and cancer. For example, a recent subgroup analysis of the Women's Health Initiative showed that oral bisphosphonates may prevent breast cancer in postmenopausal women.1 However, the possible protective effects of oral bisphosphonates in breast cancer have been overshadowed by recent reports of 23 cases of oesophageal cancer linked to oral bisphosphonates.2 This study sought to examine the possible association between oral bisphosphonate use and the risk of oesophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer by conducting a pharmacoepidemiologic study using a large clinical database.