All Types of Hormonal Birth Control Share a Slightly Increased Risk of Breast Cancer, Study Says

For people who want to prevent pregnancy, birth-control drugs come with an obvious reward. They also come with some small risks—including, for some forms, a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. This has long been known about the most popular type: combined hormonal birth control, which is available in pill, patch, and ring form. These all contain both estrogen and progestin, a synthetic version of the naturally occurring reproductive hormone progesterone. Less is known about the breast-cancer risks of progestin-only birth control, a type that’s growing in popularity because it only contains one hormone. By eliminating estrogen, these methods cut out some of the risks associated with the hormone, such as blood clotting. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] But new data from the U.K. have allowed researchers for the first time to compare the breast-cancer risks of different popular types of hormonal birth control—and the study found no difference in risk between women using progestin-only birth control and those using methods that combine progestin and estrogen. The new research, published Mar. 21 in PLOS Medicine, addresses a longstanding knowledge gap and could help experts better understand the mechanisms behind the risks and benefits of birth control. “There’s a really limited understanding of the mechanisms for how oral contraceptives may be influencing breast-cancer risk,” says Shelly Tworoger, Associate Center Director ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Drugs healthscienceclimate Source Type: news