Can birth control pills increase the risk of breast cancer?

Using any hormonal contraceptive pill can slightly increase the risk of breast cancer in women, new research has found. The study, carried out by University of Oxford researchers and published in PLOS Medicine journal, says that the use of progestogen-only hormonal contraceptives – such as oral ‘mini pill’, implants and intra-uterine devices – is linked to 20-30 per cent higher risk of developing breast cancer, noted Sky News. But, the researchers say this should not discourage women from taking birth control pills. Let’s understand more about the study. How was the research conducted? The research is based on the analysis of prescription records of 9,498 women in the United Kingdom between the ages of 20 to 49 who developed invasive breast cancer between 1996 and 2017. This was compared with data from 18,171 women who did not have breast cancer. Scientists found that around 44 per cent of women with breast cancer and 39 per cent of women who did not have breast cancer were prescribed a hormonal contraceptive for an average of three years before diagnosis. Notably, half of these women had a prescription for a progestogen-only contraceptive, reported The Guardian. As per NBC News, the researchers then matched their findings with results from 12 different studies that examined the risk associated with progestogen-only contraceptives. What does the new study say? 

The study says that taking oral contraceptives for five years heightens the chance of women developing breast cancer over a 15-year period by 20-30 per cent.

This absolute risk varies for women depending on their age. For every 1,00,000 women, eight in the 16 to 20 age group could develop breast cancer if they take the pill. For those between the ages of 35 to 39, the risk is 265 for every 1,00,000 women on the birth control pill. The researchers say this risk gradually fell over the years once the usage of birth control pills stopped. [caption id=“attachment_12335182” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Researchers say this study should not discourage women from taking birth control pills. Pixabay (Representational Image)[/caption] The study has come at a time when the use of progestogen-only contraception is expanding. ALSO READ: Could a widely used abortion pill be banned across the US? Should women be worried? Experts say the findings are not a cause for alarm. Claire Knight of Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said the risk was small and there are benefits to using contraception. “Women who are most likely to be using contraception are under the age of 50, where the risk of breast cancer is even lower. For anyone looking to lower their cancer risk, not smoking, eating a healthy balanced diet, drinking less alcohol, and keeping a healthy weight will have the most impact," she said, as per The Guardian.  Professor Gillian Reeves, one of the Oxford University researchers involved in the study, said, “I don’t really see that there’s any indication here to say that women need to necessarily change what they’re doing. “The main purpose of doing this research was really to fill a gap in our knowledge”, BBC quoted her as saying. She said that combined oral contraceptives and progestogen-only contraceptives are “just the same in terms of breast cancer risk, they seem to have a very similar effect to the other contraceptives”, reported Sky News.  Reeves, who is also the director of the cancer epidemiology unit at the University of Oxford, further stated: “There is this increased risk whatever you use in terms of hormonal contraceptives”. “These newer types that hadn’t been so well studied, what it does look like is that they are certainly no worse,” she told NBC News. [caption id=“attachment_12335192” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The risk of breast cancer is more for older women on the birth control pill. Pixabay (Representational Image)[/caption] As per Sky News, Kirstin Pirie, from Oxford Population Health and one of the lead authors of the study, said: “Given that a person’s underlying risk of developing breast cancer increases with advancing age, the absolute excess risk of breast cancer associated with either type of oral contraceptive will be smaller in women who use it at younger ages. “These excess risks must, however, be viewed in the context of the well-established benefits of contraceptive use in women’s reproductive years.” Experts say before taking a decision about the pills, people should weigh all the pros and cons. Women who take the birth control pill have a lower chance of developing endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer, with the protection offered by the contraceptives lasting for decades, reported BBC citing Oxford University researchers. Dr Michael Jones, from London’s Institute of Cancer Research, told BBC, “These findings suggest the use of hormonal contraceptives is associated with a slight increase in breast cancer risk before the menopause. “The results were similar for different types of hormonal contraception, including progestogen-only contraceptives, where less is currently known about their risks.” What is the study missing? Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, the head of research communications at the UK’s Breast Cancer Now, said there are some limitations to the new research. “The study didn’t look at what hormonal contraceptives the women may have used in the past or consider how long they may have been on the progestogen-only contraception. “It also didn’t factor in whether a family history of the disease contributed to their level of risk. So further work is needed to help us fully understand the impact of using this type of contraception,” Temcinaite said, as per The Guardian. Dr Rachel Urrutia, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, said breast cancer cases can be linked to diet or family history and the new study did not “adjust for these particular variables”, reported NBC News. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.