The Mayo Clinic has published a key article in it’s October 2006 issue entitled “Oral Contraceptive Use as a Risk Factor for Pre-menopausal Breast Cancer: A Meta-analysis”
Meta-Analysis:
Oral Contraceptives and Pre-menopausal Breast Cancer
(October 9, 2006)
The journal of the Mayo Clinic (Mayo Clinic Proceedings) has published a
key article in it’s October 2006 issue entitled “Oral Contraceptive Use as a
Risk Factor for Pre-menopausal Breast Cancer:
A Meta-analysis”, authored by Chris Kahlenborn, M.D., (Internal
Medicine, Altoona Hospital, PA),
Francesmary Modugno, Ph.D., (Epidemiology), Douglas M. Potter, Ph.D.
(Biostatistics) both from the University of Pittsburgh, and Walter B. Severs,
Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology at the Penn State College of
Medicine.
The major findings from this careful
analysis of the world literature were that oral contraceptives (OCs) were
linked with a measurable and statistically significant association with
pre-menopausal breast cancer. The risk
association was 44% over baseline in parous women (having been pregnant) who
took OCs prior to their first pregnancy.
The study re-enforces the recent
classification of OCs as Type 1 carcinogens by the International Agency for
Cancer Research*.
According to Dr. Kahlenborn, extraction of
reliable data from the world literature is an
extremely difficult task because no two studies are exactly alike. However, meta-analysis is a valid statistical
tool that has the ability to identify associations and potential risk. He said the present research team was very
careful to clearly present how the data were collected and processed, and
welcomes opportunities for open and critical debate on this important subject
by professionals as well as the lay public.
Dr. Kahlenborn** stated that he and the
entire team believes that in accordance with the standards informed consent,
women must be apprised of the potential risk of premenopausal breast cancer prior
to commencing drug use.
(For access to abstract of article
go to www.mayoclinicproceedings.com);
a link to the actual article is available at www.polycarp.org.
* This World Health
Organization information can be accessed at www.iarc.fr/ENG/Press_Releases/prl67a.html. The interested reader is referred to this
site
**Contact: DrChris@polycarp.org
More resources from Dr Kahlenborn
Breast Cancer Risk from The Pill
[NEW & REVISED] pamphlet
Breast Cancer Risk from Abortion pamphlet
Breast Cancer, Its Link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pill Book
Breast Cancer, Abortion and the Pill booklet
How the Pill and Other Contraceptives Work booklet
)
