Oral Contraceptives and Breast Cancer

At least 10.7 million American women use oral contraceptives (OCs).

The potential connection with breast cancer has caused concern among these OC users and uncertainty among many of their physicians.

This new volume offers the most up-to-date information available on this critical topic. While the best available knowledge does not support any fundamental change in clinical practice with respect to the use of OCs, this book offers specific recommendations for more research to fully resolve the relationship between OCs and breast cancer.

Noting consumer confusion, the volume includes a concise summary of benefits, risks, and other practical information for contraceptive users and their doctors. The volume presents current data on changes in patterns of OC use, differences in risk at different ages, the benefits of OCs, and more. Oral Contraceptives and Breast Cancer will be important reading for obstetricians/gynecologists and other health professionals, their patients who use OCs, contraceptive manufacturers, women's health advocates, policymakers, and researchers. Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1. Introduction and Overview2. Epidemiology: Information Needs and Data Gaps3. Biology: Information Needs and Data Gaps4. Information for Users of the Pill and Health Care Providers5.

Policy Issues and RecommendationsReferencesAppendix A: Oral Contraceptives and Breast Cancer: A Review of theEpidemiological Evidence with an Emphasis on Younger WomenAppendix B: Oral Contraceptives and Breast Cancer: Review of theEpidemiological LiteratureAppendix C: The Evolving Formulations of Oral ContraceptivesAppendix D: Animal Models of Sex Steroid Hormones and MammaryCancer: Lessons for Understanding Studies in HumansAppendix E: Risks and Benefits of Oral Contraceptives: Will BreastCancer Tip the Balance?Appendix F: List of Background DocumentsIndex