Low bone mineral density may be associated with long-term risk of cancer in the middle-aged population: A retrospective observational study from a single center

Abstract Background It is generally understood that cancer patients are at an increased risk for osteoporosis. Additionally, recent studies have suggested a shared pathophysiological mechanism between the development of cancer and osteoporosis. The purpose of this investigation was to investigate whether low bone mineral density is associated with cancer risk. Methods We enrolled 8780 subjects who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and cancer screening from January 1, 2008–December 31, 2012 from a cohort selected from Chang Gung Health Care Center in Taiwan. The study end point was a definite pathological diagnosis of cancer or admission for cancer treatment. Results During a mean follow-up of 6.6 ± 1.5 years, 110 incident cases of cancer occurred. The overall incidence of cancer was significantly higher in those patients with a low BMD (1.3%) than in those with a normal BMD (1.0%). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that older age, smoking, and low BMD (hazard ratio: 1.5; 95% confidence interval: 1.0–2.3) were significant independent risk factors for cancer. Conclusion Our investigation suggested that subjects with a low BMD may have a higher long-term risk of cancer compared with subjects with a normal BMD.