Balancing Benefits and Risks: Exploring the Link Between Hormonal Contraceptives and Breast Cancer

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New research has found that using progestogen-only birth control pills slightly raises the risk of breast cancer, similar to the risk associated with pills containing both progestogen and estrogen. A study published in PLOS Medicine on March 21 showed that after five years of use, both types of contraceptives led to a 20% to 30% increased risk of breast cancer.

The study’s co-author, Kirstin Pirie from the University of Oxford, stated that the use of progestogen-only contraceptives has risen significantly in recent years.

The researchers analyzed data from nearly 10,000 women under 50 with breast cancer and more than 18,000 matched controls, using a UK primary care database. The data covered women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1996 and 2017. They found that 44% of women with breast cancer and 39% of matched controls had a hormonal contraceptive prescription, with about half of the prescriptions being for progestogen-only medications.

The study revealed that the 15-year absolute excess incidence of breast cancer was estimated at 8 cases per 100,000 hormonal contraceptive users aged 16 to 20 after five years of use, and 265 cases per 100,000 users aged 35 to 39. The relative increase in breast cancer risk was 23% for combined oral pills, 26% for progestogen-only pills, 25% for injected progestogen, and 32% for intrauterine devices releasing progestogen.

However, the authors emphasized that the increased risk should be considered in the context of the well-established benefits of contraceptive use during a woman’s reproductive years. They also noted that the absolute excess risk associated with either type of oral contraceptive would be smaller for women who use it at younger rather than older ages, as the underlying risk of breast cancer increases with age. The study results were combined with data from previous studies from high-income countries, which included women from a wider age range.

Key Takeaways in a Nutshell – Health Newstrack

– Research has found that using progestogen-only birth control pills slightly raises the risk of breast cancer, similar to the risk associated with pills containing both progestogen and estrogen.

– After five years of use, both types of contraceptives led to a 20% to 30% increased risk of breast cancer.

– The relative increase in breast cancer risk varied depending on the type of contraceptive used: 23% for combined oral pills, 26% for progestogen-only pills, 25% for injected progestogen, and 32% for intrauterine devices releasing progestogen.


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