CHICAGO (Reuters) - Women who take oral contraceptives run a higher risk of developing cervical cancer, but this risk is transient and reverts to normal about 10 years after they stop, British researchers said on Thursday. Other studies have found a link between taking the pill and cervical cancer, but this is the first to show how long this risk persists, according to the study in the journal Lancet. Dr. Jane Green, a cancer epidemiologist from Britain's University of Oxford, studied data from 24 studies involving more than 16,000 women with cervical cancer and more than 35,000 without. For women in developed countries who took the pill from age 20 to 30, the number of cases of cervical cancer by age 50 rises to 4.5 per 1,000 women, from 3.8 cases per 1,000 in women who did not take the pill. The incidence rises to 8.3 cases per 1,000 for pill users in less developed countries, compared with 7.3 cases per 1,000 for women who did not take the pill. But this extra risk is outweighed by a reduction in the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers, the researchers said in a statement. Cancer researcher Ciaran Woodman of the University of Birmingham said the study reinforces the need for routine screening for cervical cancer. "The take-home message should be that all women must come for screening when invited," she said in a statement. Cervical cancer is the second most common type in women and the leading cause of cancer death in some countries. Virtually all cases of cervical cancer are caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus or HPV. The study by scientists in Belgium suggests the pill may increase a woman's risk of heart attack or stroke. The researchers from Ghent University say women who have used oral contraceptives are more likely than those who had not taken the pill to have a buildup of plaque in their arteries. Dr. Ernst Rietzschel who led the study says the main concern is that higher plaque levels increase the risk of a clot developing on one of the plaques resulting in a stroke, heart attack or sudden cardiac death. Dr. Rietzschel and his team studied 1,301 women ages 35 to 55; of that number 81 percent had used the pill, for an average of 13 years. The researchers found a rise of 20 to 30 percent in arterial plaque in the two big arteries, the carotid in the neck and the femoral in the leg, for each decade of use. Plaque levels were measured using a technique called vascular echography. Atherosclerosis results in a hardening and narrowing of the arteries caused by the slow buildup of plaque, made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other material, on the inside of artery walls. Rietzschel says the findings should not trigger alarms about the safety of the pill but women should take other steps to reduce their cardiovascular disease risk such as eating a healthier diet, getting more exercise, not smoking and controlling cholesterol. But he also says oral contraception is not the only form of contraception and women could explore other options. Experts have expressed surprise at the results but say the finding needs to be tested in larger and more rigorous studies. Many in the study had taken first-generation birth control pills, which had twice the estrogen levels than most sold today. The birth control pill which uses hormones to suppress ovulation is now taken by 100 million women worldwide. The research was presented at an American Heart Association meeting.
Reuters.com
Cervical cancer risk seen higher when on pill
Questions raised over the safety of the long-term use of the birth control pill
Women's Health News Published: Wednesday, 7-Nov-2007
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New research has again raised concerns about the safety of the long-term use of the birth control pill.
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Pill & Cervical Cancer & Heart Disease
Two Articles below...
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Thu Nov 8, 2007 6:42pm EST
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