EXTENDED ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE USE & BREAST CANCER....RELATED?

[AmyMarie71]

Does anyone know if extended use of oral contraceptives (I'm talkin years of use) is related to breast cancer or is considered a 'risk'?  I am curious because when I went to see my GP about the lumps I felt above my breast (lymph nodes/cysts) the first thing she asked me was if I was on birth control.

[SueYoung55]

Google Dr. Steven Narod for the latest information on this subject. If I remember correctly, short time usage say.. 3 to 5 years reduces risk for BRCA 1 women for ovarian cancer but I think it impacts differently for women at risk of breast cancer.

I am not 100% on my information so please check it out.
It also may offer a different result for women without the genetic mutation.

Best wishes.

[AmyMarie71]

Thanks for the info, for I went on his website and mostly everything on there has to do with breast & ovarian cancer in regards to the BRCA gene.  I could not find anything in regards to oral contraceptive use over a long period of time and links to breast cancer.

I do agree that there are good and bad.  Some of the good includes:

Reduce cyclic breast pain       Reduce the risk of ovarian cysts

Reduce the risk of ovarian cancer      Reduce the risk of uterine cancer

Reduce the risk of uterine fibroid tumors    Reduce the risk of symptomatic endometriosis

Reduce the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease   Reduce the risk of benign breast disease

I have been on birth control for about 19 years.  It has been a combination different hormone pills such as good old OrthoNovum 777 which was my first oral contraceptive and then the Depo shot and now for about the past 8-10 years I have been on Lutera (Alesse).  If there is a lower hormone pill (such as Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo) I am hoping maybe my GP will put me on.  But then again, might be to late to change?  I am on Lutera because I have been diagnosed with PCOS....cystic ovaries.