Alendronate and risk of esophageal cancer: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

摘要

Oral bisphosphonates have been a mainstay of treatment for osteoporosis, but recent studies have found an association between the use of these drugs and a potential risk of esophageal cancer in western countries. The results of these studies conflict, and there has been no such examination of this relationship in nonwestern countries. Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research database (NHIRD), this population-based, nested case-control study examined the association between the use of alendronate (the most commonly used oral bisphosphonate) and the risk of esophageal cancer in Taiwan (Table 1).The data source was the NHIRD database, which is a nationwide database comprised of anonymous eligibility and enrollment information and insurance claims for visits, procedures, and prescription medications of more than 99% of Taiwan's population (23 million).