Progestagen-only contraceptives carry similar, small breast cancer risk as other hormone contraceptives, study finds - CNN
The study, published Tuesday in the journal PLOS Medicine, bridges a research gap by investigating the link between breast cancer and progestagen-only contraceptives.
In the US, the combined pill is the most popular hormonal contraception, but a significant percentage of women are choosing an implant or IUD, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Kirstin Pirie, a researcher at the University of Oxford and lead author of the study, said excess risks must be viewed in the context of the “well-established benefits” of contraceptive use during a woman’s reproductive years, such as birth control and hormone regulation.Claire Knight, a senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, which provided core funding for the study, said that hormonal contraception is a personal choice, as “there are lots of possible benefits to using contraception, as well as other risks not related to cancer.”The researchers noted some limitations in the study, including a lack of complete information on a woman’s prescription history.The authors also said they attempted to investigate whether there are differing breast cancer risks between hormonal and nonhormonal IUDs.