Oral Contraceptives and Liver Cancer Risk
Author Information
Author(s): C. La Vecchia, E. Negri, F. Parazzini
Primary Institution: Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research
Hypothesis
Is there an association between the use of oral contraceptives and the risk of primary liver cancer?
Conclusion
The study found that long-term use of oral contraceptives is associated with an increased risk of primary liver cancer in women.
Supporting Evidence
- There were 4 cases of liver cancer who had used oral contraceptives compared to 11 controls.
- The relative risk was 1.8 for less than 5 years of use and 8.3 for more than 5 years.
- The trend in risk was statistically significant.
Takeaway
Using birth control pills for a long time might make women more likely to get liver cancer.
Methodology
A case-control study was conducted with interviews and data collection from hospitals in Milan.
Limitations
The small number of cases and low prevalence of oral contraceptive users limited subgroup analysis.
Participant Demographics
21 female cases aged 32-59 and 145 control women aged 30-59.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.03
Confidence Interval
(0.4 and 9.2), (1.4 and 48.7)
Statistical Significance
p=0.03
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