Breast cancer and specific types of combined oral contraceptives
1992

Breast Cancer and Oral Contraceptives

Sample size: 20719 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): D.B. Thomas, E.A. Noonan

Primary Institution: World Health Organization

Hypothesis

Does the type and dose of combined oral contraceptives affect the risk of breast cancer?

Conclusion

The study found no evidence that the risk of breast cancer varies by the type of estrogen or progestin in oral contraceptives.

Supporting Evidence

  • Risk was found to be increased in current and recent users of oral contraceptives.
  • Relative risks did not vary significantly among different types of oral contraceptives.
  • Findings were based on a large multinational study.

Takeaway

This study looked at whether different birth control pills affect breast cancer risk. It found that they don't really change the risk much.

Methodology

Data were collected from 2,754 breast cancer cases and 18,565 controls across 12 countries using standardized questionnaires and medical records.

Potential Biases

Potential biases include recall bias and selection bias due to the nature of case-control studies.

Limitations

The study may not account for all confounding factors and relies on self-reported data.

Participant Demographics

Participants included women diagnosed with breast cancer and matched controls from various countries.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Confidence Interval

(1.01, 4.17)

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

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