These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Survival in breast cancer and age at start of oral contraceptive usage.
    Author: Ranstam J, Olsson H, Garne JP, Aspegren K, Janzon L.
    Journal: Anticancer Res; 1991; 11(6):2043-6. PubMed ID: 1776838.
    Abstract:
    In general, findings in studies on oral contraceptives (OCs) and breast cancer have not indicated prognosis to be worse among users of OCs. In few studies, however, has age at the start of OC usage been considered as a prognostic factor. In the present study, prognosis in breast cancer is compared with OC usage, particularly with age at the start of OC usage, among 193 consecutive patients at the Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Lund. An earlier series of 193 breast cancer patients at Malmö General Hospital is included for comparisons. In the Lund series, five-year survival was 62% among women who started to use OCs before the age of 20.78% among those who started to use OCs between the ages of 20 and 25, and 86% among non-users and those who started to use OCs after the age of 25 (p = 0.009, test for homogeneity). Although age was found to be a prognostic factor in the Lund series (RR = 0.90, p = 0.001), this was not so in the earlier (older) Malmö series. The relationship with age differed significantly between the two series (p = 0.003), suggesting the apparent effect of age at diagnosis to be a cohort effect due to the introduction of OCs during the 'sixties. The age-specific relationship between survival and OC usage would seem to indicate the presence of a biological mechanism in which OCs may participate during precancerous and early stages of breast cancer. In general, findings in studies on oral contraceptives (OCs) and breast cancer have not indicated prognosis to be worse among OC users. In a few studies, however, age at the initiation of OC usage does seem to be a factor to consider. In this study, prognosis in breast cancer cases is compared to OC usage, particularly with age at the onset of OC usage, among 193 consecutive patients at the Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Lund. An earlier series of 193 breast cancer patients at Malmo General Hospital is included for comparison. In the Lund series, 5-year survival rate was 62% among women who began OC use before the age of 20, 78% among those who began between ages 20-25, and 86% among those who were nonusers or who started to use OCs after age 25 (p=0.009, test for homogeneity). Although age was found to be a prognostic factor in the Lund series (RR=0.90, p=0.001), this was not so in the earlier (older) Malmo series. The relationship between ages differed significantly between the 2 series (p=0.003), suggesting the apparent effect of age at diagnosis to be a cohort effect due to the introduction of OCs during the 1960s. The age-specific relationship between survival and OC usage would seem to indicate the presence of a biological mechanism in which OCs may play a role in the precancerous and early stages of breast cancer.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]