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THE PILL MAY UP CANCER RISK
Women who take oral contraceptives for extended periods of time are more likely
to develop cervical cancer than women who don’t take the pill. These findings
are published in tomorrow’s issue of the Lancet.
Investigators from Cancer Research UK in Oxford and the International Agency for
Research on Cancer in France reviewed data from 28 published studies, including
12,531 women with cervical cancer.
The relative risk of cervical cancer amplified with increasing duration of use
of oral contraceptives. Compared with women who had never used hormonal
contraception, the relative increases in risk were: 10% for less than 5 years
use; 60% for 5 to 9 years use; and over a doubling of risk for 10 years use or
more. The results were broadly similar for all types of cervical cancers, and
across studies that adjusted for risk factors of cervical cancer — such as human
papillomavirus (HPV) status, number of sexual partners, cervical screening and
smoking.
The Lancet – April 5, 2003;361.
http://www.thelancet.com/
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