Bone Drugs May Increase Risk of Throat Cancer

Well, at least that is what USA Today reported on September 3, 2010 with the title "Bone drugs may raise throat cancer risk". In actuality, bone drugs like boniva, fosamax, actonel, etc may possibly increase the risk of esophageal cancer which is actually not "throat cancer" and is in fact treated by a totally different specialty than ENT who is historically considered the throat expert.

Really, the specialty to see regarding esophageal cancer are the gastroenterology doctors or a general surgeon.

In any case, the study published in JAMA found that when taking bone drugs, the risk of developing esophageal cancer (not throat) was 2 in 1,000. Normally, the risk of developing cancer of the esophagus in people aged 60 to 79 is 1 in 1,000.

The increase is not that staggering. Not even close. I call it a "blip" of an increase.

Read the USA Today story here.

Read the JAMA research abstract here.