Cancer Causes & Control

, Volume 18, Issue 2, pp 189–198 | Cite as

Risk of breast cancer associated with short-term use of oral contraceptives

  • Suzanne G. Folger
  • Polly A. Marchbanks
  • Jill A. McDonald
  • Leslie Bernstein
  • Giske Ursin
  • Jesse A. Berlin
  • Janet R. Daling
  • Sandra A. Norman
  • Brian L. Strom
  • Linda K. Weiss
  • Michael S. Simon
  • Ronald T. Burkman
  • Kathleen E. Malone
  • Robert Spirtas
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Objective

To estimate breast cancer risk associated with short-term (<6 months) oral contraceptive use, and explore variation in estimates by use characteristics and medical, menstrual, and reproductive history.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Women’s Contraceptive and Reproductive Experiences Study. Case subjects were white women and black women, 35–64 years old, diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in July 1994–April 1998. Control subjects identified by random-digit dialing were matched to case subjects by age, race, and study site. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Overall, short-term oral contraceptive use was not associated with breast cancer risk (OR = 1.0; 95% CI = 0.8–1.1). However, significant interaction between short-term use and menopausal status led to an observed increased breast cancer risk in pre-menopausal women (OR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.0–1.7) and a reduced risk in post-menopausal women (OR = 0.8; 95% CI = 0.6–1.0) associated with short-term use. The association was more pronounced in women with non-contraceptive reasons for use and underlying risk factors for breast cancer.

Conclusions

These associations may result from underlying characteristics of users or unmeasured factors influencing duration of use and breast cancer risk.

Keywords

Oral contraceptives Breast cancer Epidemiology Case control studies 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the women who participated in the Women’s CARE Study and to all scientists and staff at the research institutions who contributed to the study. This work was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with additional support from the National Cancer Institute, through contracts with Emory University (N01-HD-3-3168), the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (N01-HD-2-3166), the Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University (N01-HD-3-3174), the University of Pennsylvania (N01-HD-3-3176), and the University of Southern California (N01-HD-3-3175) and through an intraagency agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Y01-HD-7022). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contributed additional staff and computer support. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute provided assistance for study sites in Atlanta (N01-PC-67006), Detroit (N01-CN-65064), Los Angeles (N01-PC-67010), and Seattle (N01-CN-0532).

Brian Strom has been a consultant to and funded by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals on other related matters. Ronald T Burkman is a consultant to Pfizer, Inc and Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and receives support from Berlex Laboratories, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals, Inc, and Organon as a speaker. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007

Authors and Affiliations

  • Suzanne G. Folger
    • 1
    • 2
  • Polly A. Marchbanks
    • 1
  • Jill A. McDonald
    • 1
  • Leslie Bernstein
    • 3
  • Giske Ursin
    • 3
    • 4
  • Jesse A. Berlin
    • 5
  • Janet R. Daling
    • 6
  • Sandra A. Norman
    • 7
  • Brian L. Strom
    • 7
  • Linda K. Weiss
    • 8
  • Michael S. Simon
    • 9
  • Ronald T. Burkman
    • 10
  • Kathleen E. Malone
    • 6
  • Robert Spirtas
    • 11
  1. 1.Division of Reproductive HealthCenters for Disease Control and PreventionAtlantaUSA
  2. 2.AtlantaUSA
  3. 3.Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUSA
  4. 4.Department of NutritionUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
  5. 5.Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and DevelopmentTitusvilleUSA
  6. 6.Division of Public Health SciencesFred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattleUSA
  7. 7.Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Biostatistics and EpidemiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUSA
  8. 8.Cancer Centers BranchNational Cancer InstituteBethesdaUSA
  9. 9.Division of Hematology and OncologyKarmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State UniversityDetroitUSA
  10. 10.Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyBaystate Medical CenterSpringfieldUSA
  11. 11.Contraception and Reproductive Health Branch, Center for Population ResearchNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUSA

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