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  • Title: Breast cancer and oral contraceptives: a review.
    Author: Clavel F, Benhamou E, Sitruk-Ware R, Mauvais-Jarvis P, Flamant R.
    Journal: Contraception; 1985 Dec; 32(6):553-69. PubMed ID: 3912104.
    Abstract:
    The relationship between oral contraceptive use and breast cancer was investigated in 22 major epidemiological studies, which are reviewed in this paper. The overall risk ratio was never found to increase when computed among all users vs. nonusers. Risk increases were found in some studies within specific subgroups; but in general, if any risk exists, it is not much more than one. Future studies should focus specifically on women under age 25, on women before a first full-term pregnancy and, to a lesser extent, on perimenopausal women and on women who have had a benign breast disease. This paper reviews the findings of the 22 major epidemiologic studies that have investigated the relationship between breast cancer and oral contraceptive (OC) use. Although the findings are discrepant, they tend to rule out the hypothesis of a large increase in the risk of breast cancer in OC users compared to nonusers, at least among women over 25 years of age. Moreover, rates of breast cancer have not been shown to increase with increasing duration of OC use. In general, if a risk has been found, it has not exceeded 1. In certain specific subgroups, particularly women under age 25 years and women who used OCs before 1st pregnancy, the risk of breast cancer has been found to be increased in selected studies but not in other studies. To clarify these discrepant findings, it is recommended that future studies focus on women under age 25 years, on women before a 1st full-term pregnancy, and, to a lesser extent, on perimenopausal women and those who have had a benign breast disease. It should be kept in mind that widespread use of OCs may be too recent to assess possible carcinogenic effects. The absence of a consistent pattern of risk findings in the literature may in part reflect methodological inadequacies, including an sufficient number of cases or biased selection of subjects.
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