FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 360:89-90 January 1, 2009 Number 1 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

	Full Text PDF PDA Full Text Purchase this article Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited E-mail When Letters Appear Related Article PubMed Citation

To the Editor: Between the time of the initial marketing of alendronate in October 1995 through mid-May 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received reports of 23 patients in the United States receiving a diagnosis of esophageal cancer, with alendronate (Fosamax, Merck) as the suspect drug (in 21 patients) or the concomitant drug (in 2 patients). No similar U.S. reports for other oral bisphosphonates were retrieved from the FDA's database for adverse-event reporting. Eight deaths were reported. Of the 23 patients, 18 (78%) were women; the median age was 74.0 years (mean, 71.8; based on 19 patients). Among the . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Related Letters:

More on Reports of Esophageal Cancer with Oral Bisphosphonate Use
Abrahamsen B., Eiken P., Eastell R., Solomon D. H., Patrick A., Brookhart M. A., Hofbauer L. C., Miehlke S., Robins H. I., Holen K. D., Shaheen N. J., Siris E. S., Oster M. W., Bilezikian J. P., Wysowski D. K.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2009; 360:1789-1792, Apr 23, 2009. Correspondence

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Kennel, K. A., Drake, M. T. (2009). Adverse Effects of Bisphosphonates: Implications for Osteoporosis Management. Mayo Clin Proc. 84: 632-638 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Abrahamsen, B., Eiken, P., Eastell, R., Solomon, D. H., Patrick, A., Brookhart, M. A., Hofbauer, L. C., Miehlke, S., Robins, H. I., Holen, K. D., Shaheen, N. J., Siris, E. S., Oster, M. W., Bilezikian, J. P., Wysowski, D. K. (2009). More on reports of esophageal cancer with oral bisphosphonate use.. NEJM 360: 1789-1790 [Full Text]