Ovarian cancer and oral contraceptives.

摘要

Since the 1960s, oral contraceptives have become a dominant form of female contraception in most developed countries. In the UK, 25% of women aged 16-49 years and 62% of women aged 16-24 years rely on combined oestrogen-progestin or progestin-only (minipill) oral contraceptives.1 In the USA, 19% of women aged 15-44 years (and 32% of 20-24-year-olds) take oral contraceptives.2 These drugs are the most effective reversible birth-control method, and widespread use has been the cornerstone of family-planning initiatives worldwide. A causal role for oral contraceptives in various cancers was first suspected soon after their use became widespread, but today's low-dose formulations are relatively safe drugs. Oral contraceptives have been linked with increased risks for some cancers (breast and cervix) and with protective effects for others (ovarian, endometrial, and colorectal).3 Calculation of the net effect on women's health is fraught with uncertainties.