Hormonal Contraceptives Can Cause Breast Cancer
Yesterday, a new research that was published in The Guardian of United Kingdom (UK) confirmed that all types of hormonal contraceptives have a small but increased risk of breast cancer.
The research establishing a link with progestogen pills for the first time was published in PLOS Medicine. Data analysis by the University of Oxford researchers established that the use of progestogen is associated with a 20 to 30 percent higher risk of breast cancer.
This builds on previous work showing that the use of the combined contraceptive pill, which contains oestrogen and progestogen, is associated with a small increase in the risk of developing breast cancer that declines after its stoppage.
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Claire Knight of Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said the risk was small and should not discourage most people from taking the pill. She said: “Women, who are most likely to be using contraception, are under the age of 50, where the risk of breast cancer is even lower. For anyone looking to lower their cancer risk, not smoking, eating a healthy balanced diet, drinking less alcohol, and keeping a healthy weight will have the most impact.
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“There are lots of possible benefits to using contraception, as well as other risks not related to cancer. That is why deciding to take them is a personal choice and should be done after speaking to your doctor, so you can make a decision that is right for you.”
The research is based on data from 9,498 women, who developed invasive breast cancer between ages 20 and 49, and 18,171 closely matched women without breast cancer.
The scientists found that 44 percent of women with breast cancer and 39 percent of women without breast cancer had a prescription for a hormonal contraceptive an average of three years before diagnosis, about half of whom were last prescribed a progestogen-only contraceptive.
