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Contraceptive pill cuts ovarian cancer risk, study says
"The contraceptive pill substantially reduces women's risk of ovarian cancer and continues to protect them for at least 30 years after they stop taking it, according to a big scientific analysis published today.
The research, by Oxford University epidemiologists, suggests that the risk of ovarian cancer is cut by 20% for every five years that a woman has been on the pill. Those who take it for 15 years cut their risk by half. Ovarian cancer is hard to detect and kills two-thirds of those who get it.
The public health implications are great, say the scientists. The pill has prevented about 200,000 cases of ovarian cancer and 100,000 deaths around the world - mostly in the developed countries - over the last 50 years, they say. Because women get ovarian cancer later in life, often around 55 and onwards, those numbers will rise as the preventive effect kicks in for women who took the pill years ago. Writing in the Lancet medical journal, Professor Valerie Beral and colleagues say they expect the number of cases prevented to rise to 30,000 a year.
The large review, which included data from 45 studies involving 100,000 women, will reopen the arguments over the pill. Women deserted it in droves years ago because of fears that it might increase their breast and cervical cancer risks, but recent work has shown the increase in risk occurs as women get older, beyond the age of around 35. It also disappears almost as soon as they stop taking the pill."
Contraceptive pill cuts ovarian cancer risk, study says | Society | The Guardian
"The contraceptive pill substantially reduces women's risk of ovarian cancer and continues to protect them for at least 30 years after they stop taking it, according to a big scientific analysis published today.
The research, by Oxford University epidemiologists, suggests that the risk of ovarian cancer is cut by 20% for every five years that a woman has been on the pill. Those who take it for 15 years cut their risk by half. Ovarian cancer is hard to detect and kills two-thirds of those who get it.
The public health implications are great, say the scientists. The pill has prevented about 200,000 cases of ovarian cancer and 100,000 deaths around the world - mostly in the developed countries - over the last 50 years, they say. Because women get ovarian cancer later in life, often around 55 and onwards, those numbers will rise as the preventive effect kicks in for women who took the pill years ago. Writing in the Lancet medical journal, Professor Valerie Beral and colleagues say they expect the number of cases prevented to rise to 30,000 a year.
The large review, which included data from 45 studies involving 100,000 women, will reopen the arguments over the pill. Women deserted it in droves years ago because of fears that it might increase their breast and cervical cancer risks, but recent work has shown the increase in risk occurs as women get older, beyond the age of around 35. It also disappears almost as soon as they stop taking the pill."
Contraceptive pill cuts ovarian cancer risk, study says | Society | The Guardian