Oral contraceptive users have something else to thank their pills for - besides providing excellent pregnancy prevention, a study published in International Journal of Cancer has revealed that women who have used birth control pills appear to have a slightly decreased risk of colon cancer. These results were based on a study that included almost 90,000 women, ages 40 to 59.
Results showed that those women who had used (or are using) birth control pills were 17% less likely to develop colon cancer over the next 16 years.
The researchers explain that these results follow evidence that suggests that estrogen plays a role in the risk of colon cancer risk - as lab experiments have demonstrated that estrogen may hinder tumor development in the colon by affecting cell growth (or by lowering levels of a cancer-linked hormone called IGF-1). The lead researcher of this study, Geoffrey Kabat, MD, however, warns that this research is still in its early stages because researchers could not conclude that a dose-response (cause-and-effect) relationship exists. This means that they could not determine whether or not risk reduction was greater among women who had used birth control pills for longer periods of time. Although these results are exciting, they must be interpreted cautiously until more research can definitely conclude what factors play the most important roles in colon cancer development and prevention.
- Birth Control Pills and Their Non-Contraceptive Advantages
- Types of Combination Birth Control Pills (Monophasic, Biphasic, and Triphasic)
- How to Choose the Right Birth Control Pill
Source:
Kabat, G. C., Miller, A. B. & Rohan, T. E. (2008 - Feb). Oral contraceptive use, hormone replacement therapy, reproductive history and risk of colorectal cancer in women. International Journal of Cancer, 122(23), 643-646. Accessed via subscription 2/2/08.
Birth Control Pills Photo © 2009 Dawn Stacey
