Researchers discovered that women who are taking pills that have the hormone estrogen and other hormones in moderate to high dosages have a 50% increased chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer. The report was made after studying more than 1,100 cancer patients.
The study took into account the type of combined Pill used and concluded that the higher dose of estrogen a pill has, the higher the risk of cancer it brings. The findings of the study were published in the Cancer Research journal.
Staff scientist Dr Elisabeth Beaber from the Public Health Sciences Division of the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center says, "Our results suggest that use of contemporary oral contraceptives in the past year is associated with an increased breast cancer risk relative to never or former oral contraceptive use, and that this risk may vary by oral contraceptive formulation."
Dr Beaber added that it is rare for young women to have breast cancer. Moreover, there are several proven health benefits that are brought by using oral contraceptives which should not be overlooked.
"It is important to note that breast cancer is rare in women under the age of 40, regardless of whether or not they use the contraceptive pill," says Senior Policy Officer Dr Caroline Dalton of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
Women who are currently taking estrogen pills with higher dosages such as Ovcon 50, Ovral, or Ortho-Novum 1/50 may consider talking with their doctors and confirm if it is indeed necessary for them to take pills with a high dosage. According to director of general gynecology Dr. Daniela Carusi of Brigham and Women's Hospital, pills with more than 35 micrograms dosage are rarely prescribed. However, there are some women, such as the ones considered as obese, who may need to take higher dosage of estrogen in order to get a full protection against pregnancy.
Women who are unsure about taking contraceptive pills should consult their doctor in order to understand the options available and find out which one suits them best. On a lighter note, the pill has other benefits aside from offering protection against unplanned pregnancies. Various research suggests that it can protect women against uterine and ovarian cancer.
The risks in taking the pill become more obvious as the woman gets older. Another factor that increases the risk is when the woman smokes. Smoking women who are older than 35 should be prevented from taking oral contraceptives as they have a higher than normal risk of suffering from life threatening blood clots.
