Women over the age of 35 should stop taking oral contraceptives, as they are considered to increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Dmitry Krasnozhon, an oncologist-mammologist at the RZD-Medicine clinic, told socialbites.ca about this.
“Overall, the odds of getting breast cancer are highest at the age of 50-60. Hormone replacement therapy after menopause reduces the risk of osteoporosis but increases the risk of breast cancer. I believe a woman after 35 should consider giving up oral contraception. An exception may be patients with endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome and other diseases for which hormonal contraceptives are necessary for therapeutic purposes, ”Krasnozhon said.
The doctor emphasized that it may be undesirable not to take hormonal contraceptives if there is a risk of ovarian cancer. So, according to the oncologist, it is necessary to carefully weigh the balance of risk and benefit, especially for women after 35 years.
Previously, scientists from the University of Oxford conducted a long study comparing two groups of women: those who were healthy and those with breast cancer. Approximately 44% of women with breast cancer and 39% of healthy women were taking hormonal birth control. Overall, any hormonal contraceptive increased the risk of developing breast cancer by 20-30%.
“I think this is a significant number, given that breast cancer is common. In addition, the study is long, and the authors evaluated the risk almost throughout the life of the women – this distinguishes the study from previous studies, ”Krasnozhon concluded.
The oncologist also noted that the main way to prevent breast cancer is a healthy lifestyle, which even the best medical system in terms of effectiveness cannot match. Early detection of cancer, regular screening – all this can increase a woman’s chances of recovery, but the incidence does not decrease.