According to a study from the American Medical Association, drugs given to osteoporosis patients, as well as those for bone strengthening, such as Boniva and Fosamax, may increase the risk for esophageal cancer.

During the study, scientists matched 3,000 people with esophageal cancer to those who were cancer free. They found that out of those who had cancer, 90 had been taking bone-strengthening drugs, compared to 345 people from the cancer-free group.

According to researchers, the risk for esophageal cancer is 1 in 1,000 for people 60-79 years old. However, after using bone strengthening drugs for five years, the risks jumps to 2 in 1,000.

Esophageal cancer is very rare, and even with the effect of bone-strengthening drugs, the risk for developing the cancer is very low. Osteoporosis patients should not be alarmed by this discovery. The medicines should simply be taken carefully, with a full glass of water before eating.