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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
BIRTHCONTROL PILLS SAFE?
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
BIRTHCONTROL PILLS SAFE?
by ally'smommy, Aug 01, 2005 12:00AM
I WAS WATHCING FOX NEWS THIS WEEKEND AND THEY HAD AN ARTICLE OB THEIR SHOW ABOUT A NEW STUDY FROM ONE OF THOSE HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT HORMONES(THEY SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED BIRTHCONTROL PILLS) AND THEIR EFFECT ON WOMEN. THEY SAID THAT THEY ARE NOW CONSIDERED " CARCENOGENIC" WHICH MEANS THAT ALL MY DOCTORS THAT ARE TELLING ME THAT TAKING BC PILLS ARE ACTUALLY HELPFUL TO ME, ARE FULL OF IT? ANY BODY ELSE SEE THIS? SOME INFO. PLEASE. IF THIS IS TRUE, GONNA STOP THEM!
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-rf, Aug 02, 2005 12:00AM
Dear ally's mommy: The news article that was quoted was based on the following article and primarily focuses on hormone replacement therapy that is used to treat menopausal symptoms. This issue surrounding the risk from birth control pills remains much less clear. Some of the available data is based on an earlier version of "the pill" that used higher doses of hormones. One of the most recent studies published on the subject is from the Nurses' Health Study (published in 2005) that states "We've found that the pill has only a modest and temporary effect on a woman's risk of breast cancer. Women have a slightly increased risk while they're on the pill, but this subsides soon after they stop taking it. This means that overall, birth control pills exert their largest influence during the premenopausal years but have little or no effect later on. We are currently investigating whether different types of pills have different effects on risk." Here's the article for your review - the information on the birth control pill is mentioned in the last 5 paragraphs.
U.N. research agency puts hormones on cancer-causing list
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Emma RossAssociated Press
London - The U.N.'s cancer research agency added hormone pills Friday to the list of substances that can cause cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer said that based on consistent evidence from studies in recent years, it was reclassifying hormonal menopause therapy from "possibly carcinogenic" to "carcinogenic."
The declaration from the World Health Organization's cancer agency, which is widely regarded as the international authority on cancer-causing agents, comes after several recent high- profile studies linking combination hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, to breast cancer.
The analysis, conducted by a panel of 21 scientists, concluded that estrogen and progestin therapy for menopause also slightly increases the risk of endometrial cancer when progestin is taken fewer than 10 days a month.
Research has indicated that the chance of a woman developing breast cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 7. A landmark study used in the U.N. agency's analysis suggested that long- term use of hormones raises the lifetime risk to about 1 in 6.
The cancer research agency also concluded that a common type of birth control pill, taken by about 10 percent of women of reproductive age, increases the risk of more types of cancer than previously thought.
Some doctors cautioned that that conclusion was based on studies of higher-dosage pills, and said they wouldn't change their advice to young women.
The agency had previously determined that the pill combining estrogen and progestin can cause liver cancer. Now, further research has demonstrated that it also slightly increases the risk of breast and cervical cancer, the agency said. However, the investigation also confirmed that the pill protects against endometrial and ovarian cancers.
"It's a complicated picture," said Vincent Cogliano, head of the agency's department that evaluates the cancer risk of chemicals. "There are still other reasons to take it. Each woman has to discuss it with her doctor and weigh the risks and benefits" for either the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy.
The increased cancer risk from the birth control pill was small and transient, the analysis found.
U.N. research agency puts hormones on cancer-causing list
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Emma RossAssociated Press
London - The U.N.'s cancer research agency added hormone pills Friday to the list of substances that can cause cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer said that based on consistent evidence from studies in recent years, it was reclassifying hormonal menopause therapy from "possibly carcinogenic" to "carcinogenic."
The declaration from the World Health Organization's cancer agency, which is widely regarded as the international authority on cancer-causing agents, comes after several recent high- profile studies linking combination hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, to breast cancer.
The analysis, conducted by a panel of 21 scientists, concluded that estrogen and progestin therapy for menopause also slightly increases the risk of endometrial cancer when progestin is taken fewer than 10 days a month.
Research has indicated that the chance of a woman developing breast cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 7. A landmark study used in the U.N. agency's analysis suggested that long- term use of hormones raises the lifetime risk to about 1 in 6.
The cancer research agency also concluded that a common type of birth control pill, taken by about 10 percent of women of reproductive age, increases the risk of more types of cancer than previously thought.
Some doctors cautioned that that conclusion was based on studies of higher-dosage pills, and said they wouldn't change their advice to young women.
The agency had previously determined that the pill combining estrogen and progestin can cause liver cancer. Now, further research has demonstrated that it also slightly increases the risk of breast and cervical cancer, the agency said. However, the investigation also confirmed that the pill protects against endometrial and ovarian cancers.
"It's a complicated picture," said Vincent Cogliano, head of the agency's department that evaluates the cancer risk of chemicals. "There are still other reasons to take it. Each woman has to discuss it with her doctor and weigh the risks and benefits" for either the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy.
The increased cancer risk from the birth control pill was small and transient, the analysis found.
Member Comments (2)
by Iwillcope, Aug 01, 2005 12:00AM
I can only respond to your question as a lay-person and will leave the decision about The Pill up to you. I was on the Pill for thirty (30!) years--MY choice. I was dx'd with BC last year at this time. I have made a good recovery however, there is NO history of cancer in my family and my tumor was ER+--- and I was on estrogen pills. Hmmm....? None of my Drs would commit themselves to the Pill as being "the culprit" but....when I was dx'd with BC, they IMMEDIATELY took me off the Pill. Makes you wonder. However, my OB/GYN told me that being on the Pill that long has probably protected me from ovarian cancer so its the old saying "six of one--half dozen of the other". Again, with the advice of your doctor and your medical history, the decision is probably up to YOU.
