Breast Cancer and Birth Control Risk

Breast cancer and Birth control risk have long been associated. According to a new study the Depo-Provera shot is linked to a risk of developing breast cancer. There seems to be a link between the injectable form of progestin-only birth control, best known as Depo-Provera, and an increased risk of breast cancer in young women, new research suggests. For the study, researchers prepared a comparison of more than 1,000 Seattle-area women, aged 20 to 44, who were given a breast cancer diagnosis, and more than 900 women who did not have breast cancer. Recent use of the injectable contraceptive (formally called depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate or DMPA) for a year or longer was linked with a 2.2-fold increased risk of invasive breast cancer, the study found.

Breast Cancer Risk A Consideration

Breast cancer increased risk seemed to dissipate within months after women no longer used the contraceptive, and women who had the contraceptive administered for less than a year or who had quit using it more than a year earlier did not show any increased risk of breast cancer, according to the findings published online and in the April 15 print issue of the journal Cancer Research. While the research unveiled a link between Depo-Provera and an increased breast cancer risk, it could not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. Patient should have detailed consultations with their primary care physician and/or OB/GYN prior to deciding which contraceptive will work best for them.

Breast Cancer Risk Just One Risk of Birth Control Pills and Shots

Birth control prescriptions should be discussed.Patients who are considering cosmetic plastic surgery should always disclose any contraceptive that have used. This includes birth-control pills as well as the Depo-Provera shot. Dr. Seify provides  prospective patients with detailed information concerning the risk of prescription drugs containing estrogen and the surgical risk associated with them. The risk of blood clots associated with patients taking estrogen is known for patients considering abdominoplasty, facelift, or other procedures that may include extended time being sedentary and less mobile. This does not mean that patients should dismiss the risk for shorter procedures like breast augmentation or small areas of liposuction. Dr. Seify discusses risk of complications with patients during the initial consultation as well as the preoperative visit.