Oral Contraceptives and Colorectal Cancer Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Fernandez E, Vecchia C La, Balducci A, Chatenoud L, Franceschi S, Negri E
Primary Institution: Institut Català d'Oncologia
Hypothesis
Is there an association between the use of oral contraceptives and the risk of colorectal cancer?
Conclusion
The study found that the use of oral contraceptives is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer.
Supporting Evidence
- The pooled relative risk of colorectal cancer for ever OC use was 0.82.
- The pooled estimate from 8 case-control studies was 0.81.
- The pooled estimate from 4 cohort studies was 0.84.
- There was no apparent heterogeneity in the results.
Takeaway
Using birth control pills might help lower the chances of getting colon cancer.
Methodology
This meta-analysis included epidemiological studies published in English that provided quantitative information on oral contraceptive use.
Potential Biases
There may be publication bias as only studies published in English were included.
Limitations
The study only included published studies and may not represent all available data.
Participant Demographics
The studies included women who used oral contraceptives.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.69–0.94
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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