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Breast Cancer Risk from The Pill [New and Revised]
Newly revised and updated in September 2007. How the Pill increases the risk of breast cancer, and effective strategies for prevention. Women who take contraceptive pills before their first full pregnancy are 44% more likely to develop breast cancer before menopause. This is a real eye opener for people who thought the Pill was harmless.
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The Pill and Breast Cancer
Chris Kahlenborn, MD
1) How could the Pill cause breast cancer?
Two of the most important types of hormones that control reproduction are estrogens and progestins. Birth control pills are made from synthetic estrogens and/or progestins. Experiments have shown that these hormones cause women’s breast cells to divide more rapidly. [1] Cells which divide more rapidly are more prone to develop into cancer cells.
2) What is the evidence that the Pill and breast cancer are connected?
A comprehensive meta-analysis* published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings in October, 2006[2] found that 21 out of 23 retrospective studies done since 1980 showed that women who took oral contraceptive prior to the birth of their first child sustained a 44% average increased risk of developing pre-menopausal breast cancer, [see Table A]. ] This risk rose to 52% for women who took the pill for at least four years prior to the birth of their first child.
3) How serious of a problem is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in U. S. in women age 20-59. In the U.S. about 211,000 women are diagnosed annually and over 40,000 die from this disease.[3] More than one in five women who are diagnosed with breast cancer (ie, 47,000 women annually) will develop it before menopause. About one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some time in her life and one fourth of such women will die from this disease. Using the birth control pill, especially at a young age, markedly increases a woman’s risk for developing breast cancer. This risk is increased even higher when combined with other breast cancer risk factors such as induced abortion, hormone treatment (such as estrogen supplementation), family history of breast cancer, and other factors.
4) Are some groups of women in greater danger?
Yes. The research shows that the birth control pill increases the risk of breast cancer more for some groups of women than for others. Groups at especially high risk include women who have not given birth, women who have a family history of breast cancer, those who took birth control pills for long periods (eg,, four years or more)
5) What if there has been breast cancer in my family?
Women who have a family history of breast cancer and use oral contraceptive pills have an increased risk from both factors. For example, if a woman’s mother or sister had breast cancer, then that woman’s risk of developing breast cancer after using oral contraceptives is even higher.
6) Do some contraceptives cause more risk than others?
Yes. Research studies show that breast cancer risk is almost tripled for women who used Depo-Provera for 2 years or more before age 25. [4]
7) Are other types of cancer affected by oral contraceptive pills?
Oral contraceptives decrease the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, while they increase the risk of cervical and breast cancer. Since breast cancer is far more prevalent than the other three types of gynecological cancers, the pill’s overall effect is detrimental to women.
8) How can I protect myself?
Many of the known risk factors for breast cancer can be avoided: hormone exposure (including hormonal contraceptives), induced abortion, heavy alcohol use, obesity, and radiation exposure. In addition, there is a significant reduction of risk with each child a woman bears. Every month of breastfeeding reduces breast cancer risk, as does bearing a child at a younger age. Some medications (e.g., raloxifene) which are taken after menopause to help strengthen bones have been shown to markedly reduce the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer and should be considered by all women at high risk.[5]
9) If hormonal contraceptives are so dangerous, what options do couples have?
Natural Family Planning (NFP) methods are available which use no chemicals or surgery and cause no increase in breast cancer risk. Not to be confused with the “rhythm method,” NFP is based on observations of a woman’s cervical mucus and (for some methods) other symptoms as well. One of the largest research studies of NFP (involving 19,843 women and performed in India by the World Health Organization) showed a pregnancy rate of 0.2 pregnancies per 100 women yearly. [6]
Natural Family Planning methods have been used to diagnose and treat a variety of female reproductive disorders including infertility. Various medical problems (e.g., excessive menstrual cramping and bleeding), which are sometimes treated with contraceptive hormones, can be treated far more safely with less toxic means (e.g., magnesium/calcium supplements and/or ibuprofen products).
10) How can I find out more about breast cancer risk from the Pill?
The book Breast Cancer, Its Link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pillis available from One More Soul. Eleven of the seventeen chapters in this book deal with cancer risks from birth control pills. In addition, anyone may download the Mayo Clinic meta-analysis article by clicking onto: www.MayoClinicProceedings.com and accessing the October, 2006 archives.
11) Where can I find information about Natural Family Planning?
Natural Family Planning information is available from a number of national organizations:
Billings Ovulation Method Association
(888) 637-6371
www.Boma-usa.org
Couple to Couple League
(513) 471-2000
www.ccli.org
Family of the Americas
(800) 443-3395
www.familyplanning.net
National Conference of Catholic Bishops
(202) 541-3240
www.usccb.org
Northwest Family Services
(503) 215-6377
www.nwfs.org
One More Soul
(800) 307-7685
www.OMSoul.com
Pope Paul VI Institute
(402) 390-6600
www.popepaulvi.com
Many Catholic dioceses have NFP offices or family life offices which can supply NFP information. Local parishes and Catholic hospitals may also be good sources.
References
1. Anderson T, Battersby S, et al. Oral contraceptive use influences resting breast proliferation. Hum. Pathol. 1989; 20: 1139-1144.Back
2. Kahlenborn C, Modugno FM et al. Oral contraceptive use as a risk factor for premenopausal breast cancer: a meta-analysis. Mayo Clin Proc. 2006;81(10):1290-1302. Back
3. Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2003-2004. American Cancer Society. (www.cancer.org)Back
4. Skegg DCG, Noonan EA, et al. Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate and breast cancer [A pooled analysis of the World Health Organization and New Zealand studies]. JAMA. 1995:799-804. Back
5. National Cancer Institute. Study of tamoxifen and raloxifene ( STAR) trial. April 26, 2006. (www.cancer.gov/star) Back
6. Ryder RE. “Natural Family Planning”: Effective birth control supported by the Catholic Church. Br Med J. 1993; 307: 723-726. Back
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Dr. Chris Kahlenborn is practices Internal Medicine in Camp Hill, PA and is the current president of the Polycarp Research Institute (www.polycarp.org) He is the author of Breast Cancer, Its Link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pill on which this pamphlet is based.
Breast Cancer, Its Link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pill is available from One More Soul at (800) 307-7685 for a suggested donation of $5.95 for the soft cover edition and $13.95 for the hardback. BBCL
More resources from Dr. Kahlenborn available at One More Soul
Breast Cancer Risk from the Pill
Newly revised and updated in September 2007. How the Pill increases the risk of breast cancer, and effective strategies for prevention. Women who take contraceptive pills before their first full pregnancy are 44% more likely to develop breast cancer before menopause. This is a real eye opener for people who thought the Pill was harmless. PBCP $0.35
Breast Cancer Risk from Abortion
Information from the book Breast Cancer, It's Link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pill, presented in a short and highly persuasive format. We have received letters and phone calls about babies saved from abortion when their mothers read this pamphlet. PBCA $0.35
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