Oral contraceptive pills can protect against ovarian cancer

The longer a woman uses the oral contraceptive pill, the lower her risk of getting ovarian cancer later in life. Oral contraceptives give substantial long-term protection against ovarian cancer. – Use of oral contraceptives during a woman’s life-time gives substantial long-term protection against ovarian cancer and the longer they are used, the greater the reduction in risk. These are the conclusions of authors of an Article in this week’s edition of The Lancet – a medical journal in the United Kingdom.

Breast cancer gene mutation common in Hispanic, young black women

The gene mutation BRCA1, which is known to increase the risk of breast cancer, is prevalent among Hispanics and young black women with breast cancer, researchers report. – A genetic mutation already known to be more common in Ashkenazi Jewish breast cancer patients is also prevalent in Hispanic and young African-American women with breast cancer, according to one of the largest, multiracial studies of the mutation to date.

Health Newstrack