Skip to Main Content

An official website of the United States government

Bisphosphonates as Chemoprevention

Principal Investigator
Name
Sharon Hensley Alford
Institution
Henry Ford Health System
Email
About this CDAS Project
Study
PLCO (Learn more about this study)
Project ID
2009-0264
Initial CDAS Request Approval
Jul 8, 2010
Title
Bisphosphonates as Chemoprevention
Summary
Bisphosphonates, used for the treatment of osteoporosis and bone metastases, have been used clinically for the past several decades. Recent laboratory and clinical data suggest that bisphosphonates act on important cancer pathways and may in fact prevent cancer metastasis to the bone and viscera. Our analyses of data from the Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) patient population using pharmacy claims data suggests that bisphosphonates may reduce breast cancer risk by 30%. We propose to use the PLCO cohort of women who completed the Supplemental Questionnaire (SQX) to assess in this well followed prospective cohort if self-reported bisphosphonate exposure is associated with a decreased risk of breast, colorectal, ovarian, endometrial and/or lung cancers. Using the PLCO cohort will allow for adjustment of important risk factors that were not available in our HFHS analysis which used only claims data.
Aims

The specific aim of this proposal is to assess the association of bisphosphonate exposure in women with the occurrence of the PLCO screened cancers plus breast and endometrial cancer using self-reported bisphosphonate exposure on the supplemental questionnaire and subsequent diagnosed cancers. Secondarily, we will explore if exposure varies by nitrogen vs. non-nitrogen status of the bisphosphonate and whether stage, grade and/or marker status (where applicable) varies by exposure status.

Collaborators

Bruce Kessel (Pacific Health Research Institute)
Regina Ziegler (Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program)

Related Publications