Forteo and Bone Cancer

9/18/07 1:19am

Thanks so much for sharing your questions with us. It is wonderful to hear from a survivor such as yourself, although unfortunately osteoporosis after cancer is an all too common occurence.

According to the Forteo website, patients should not use Forteo if they "have ever been diagnosed with bone cancer or other cancers that have spread (metastasized) to the bones." (www.forteo.com) While I'm not sure if that applies to you or not, it is important to discuss your complete medical history with your doctor when evaluating the potential risks and benefits of any medication.

I wish you the best, and hope you can find the right solution for your situation.

David

1/ 4/08 4:18pm

My wife took forteo for one month, stopped due to pain, and died about six weeks later from multiple cancer locations. Forteo make have accellerated the spread. She had no knowledge of her cancer before.

Gretchen Ossenfort

5/13/08 9:34am

Hello, My Mother in Law used Forteo for about 2 years and was recently diagnosed with sarcoma. Specifically, Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma. She's73, never had cancer, and no family history. She blames the Forteo and I do too. I wouldn't take this drug, even if they paid me. I think they need to withdraw it from the market!

Feeling cloudy in the Sunshine State.

Anonymous

8/14/08 6:23pm

I was diagnosed with kidney cancer shortly after ending two years of forteo shots. I can't figure out to this day how I came to get kidney cancer. I never smoked and am not obese nor even close to obese. There is no prior history of kidney cancer in my family. I have thought a lot about this and now believe that forteo may have been the reason I developed this tumor. I would not take forteo again.

D

6/ 9/09 8:09pm

I am really sorry to hear of your kidney cancer. It is common to look for answers (Why me? What risk did I have?) when one develops cancer. My mother-in-law got kidney cancer in her mid 70s. She was not obese, had never smoked, and had no history of cancer in her family; and she DIDN'T take Forteo, estrogen, or any other osteoporosis drug. She died 10 years later of complications from a stroke. (Her remaining kidney worked just fine).

My mother just broke her hip... really bad break in 3 places. She doesn't want to take the Forteo either bc she's worried about cancer; but if she doesn't the bone may never be strong enough for her to walk again.

D

Anonymous

6/ 9/09 9:23pm

Thank you for your answer to my post. I am so sorry to hear about your mother's hip break. That is how my mother died -- from complications of her hip break when she was 91. I no longer believe that Forteo was the cause of my kidney cancer. I will never know for sure what caused it but I now believe it was environmental. I would suggest that your mother take the forteo as long as she can be convinced that it will not do her harm. My best to you and your Mom.

Vicki

9/29/10 11:09am

My mother in law also got, and died from kidney cancer in her eighties. She had not taken any anti osteoporosis drugs, and had no family history. Her doctor attributed it to secondhand smoke, which could be from other people in the household, or work environment. He indicated that there was a lot of evidence that smoking was a strong factor in kidney cancer.

Elizabeth

9/29/10 11:58am

Thank you for your reply. I know that smoking and secondhand smoke are strong indicators for kidney cancer, but because neither I nor my husband ever smoked, I thought it was not that. However, I am sure I was exposed to a lot of secondhand smoke over the years so that is as good an answer as any. I have also heard from nurses that there is a rise in kidney cancer and there is some concern that it is from unkown environmental factors. Thanks for your reply.

RustyG

4/17/09 1:50pm

I've just finished a 2 year regime of Forteo an d my doctor - an endocronologist - is astounded by the bone rebuilding this drug did.

D

6/ 9/09 8:22pm

There is a Cleveland clinic article that put the risk of bone cancer w/ Forteo in perspective for me.. try:

www.ccjm.org/content/70/7/585.full.pdf+html

It's pretty technical, but the rat strain they used for the study were genetically engineered to have open bone epyhisees (ends of bones don't close) throughout their lifespan, had a higher background rate of bone cancer (they were already susceptible), and were given much higher doses than humans are given.

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