Does Taking the Pill Decrease Cancer Risk? It Depends

A large scale study recently found evidence that cancer risk among users of oral contraceptives is significantly lower than women who have never taken the pill. The finding confirms what doctors and researchers have thought for years: that there to be a link between lowered cancer risk and oral contraceptive usage. However, long-term usage of the birth control pill, anything over 8 years, resulted in a statistically significant increased risk of developing any cancer.

The timing of the study's release adds to the public dialogue for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in September and Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. The findings were published Sept. 10 and full results of Oral Contraceptives Study are available online this month at the British Medical Journal.

Oral Contraceptives Study

Women who used oral contraceptives at some time in their lives had statistically significant lower rates of cancers, including bowel/rectal, uterine and ovarian cancer, in comparison with women who have never used it. The Oral Contraceptive Study, conducted by the Royal College of General Practitioners, included two data sets: one with a general practitioner dataset and detailed information, and the other through the National Health System registry of death and cancer incidence. The study spanned 36 years and followed more than 46,000 women.

The findings re-iterate previously known contradicting risks and benefits of birth control pill usage for the different types of cancer. For instance, most research indicates women taking oral contraceptives for extended periods of time have a reduced risk of developing ovarian cancer, but a slightly elevated risk for breast cancer and cervical cancer. However, the risks of breast cancer and cervical cancer decline after stopping oral contraception, returning to that of women who do not take the pill within approximately 10 years.