Study finds link between injectable contraceptives and breast cancer risk in younger women
Recent use for a year or more doubled the risk of invasive breast cancer
2012-04-05
(Press-News.org) SEATTLE – The first large-scale U.S.-based study to evaluate the link between an injectable form of progestin-only birth control and breast cancer risk in young women has found that recent use of a year or more doubles the risk. The results of the study, led by breast cancer epidemiologist Christopher I. Li, M.D., Ph.D., of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, are published online ahead of the April 15 print issue of Cancer Research.
While the contraceptive, called depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate, or DMPA, contains the same kind of progestin as the menopausal hormone-therapy regimen found by a Women's Health Initiative clinical trial to increase breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women, few studies have evaluated the link between DMPA use and breast cancer risk in younger women.
"While DMPA is widely used by women throughout the world, there are limited data on the association between DMPA and breast cancer incidence," said Li, a member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division. "Our study adds to the body of knowledge from international studies conducted in a diverse group of countries – Kenya, New Zealand, Thailand, Mexico and Costa Rica – which have shown that one of the risks associated with DMPA use may be an increased risk of breast cancer," he said.
Li and his Hutchinson Center colleagues found that recent DMPA use (within five years) for 12 months or longer was associated with a 2.2-fold increased risk of invasive breast cancer. This risk appeared to dissipate within months after contraceptive use was discontinued. The researchers also found that women who used the contraceptive for less than a year or who had stopped using it more than a year earlier did not have an increased risk of breast cancer.
"Although breast cancer is rare among young women and the elevated risk of breast cancer associated with DMPA appears to dissipate after discontinuation of use, our findings emphasize the importance of identifying the potential risks associated with specific forms of contraceptives given the number of available alternatives," the authors wrote.
The study involved 1,028 Seattle-area women ages 20 to 44 who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and, for comparison purposes, 919 age-matched controls who did not have a history of breast cancer. Of these, about 10 percent reported using DMPA, which is consistent with usage patterns nationwide, Li said. Use of the injectable contraceptive was about 5 percent higher among non-white women in the study.
"In the United States many women have numerous options for contraception, and so it is important to balance their risks and benefits when making contraceptive choices," Li said.
###The National Cancer Institute and the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program funded the research.
At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit www.fhcrc.org.
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Sexual objectification of female artists in music videos exists regardless of race, MU study finds
2012-04-05
COLUMBIA, Mo. ¬— Popular music videos have been criticized as having misogynistic messages and images. While more female music artists have gained visibility and created successful "brands" in recent years, critics argue that many of these artists are pushing the boundaries of acceptable norms with regard to race, gender and sexuality in popular culture. Cynthia Frisby, an associate professor of strategic communication in the University of Missouri School of Journalism, and Jennifer Aubrey, an associate professor in the department of communication in the University of Missouri ...
Bigelow Components' Tumbling Process Leads to Finished, Deburred Part
2012-04-05
Bigelow maintains the ability to expertly finish the cold heading process, enhancing the functionality, performance and appearance of precision metal parts, not unlike the way a great sports team finishes a game to achieve success and recognition. Their proven track record of meeting the needs of the marketplace is reflected in the expanding range of services and methods that enhance customer bottom lines. The Bigelow dedication to high quality performance yields cost savings, time efficiencies and logistical advantages that are right in step with the demands of the many ...
Income inequality and distrust foster academic dishonesty
2012-04-05
College professors and students are in an arms race over cheating. Students find new sources for pre-written term papers; professors find new ways to check the texts they get for plagiarized material. But why are all these young people cheating? A new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests one reason: income inequality, which decreases the general trust people have toward each other.
Lukas Neville, a doctoral student at Queen's University in Ontario, was inspired to do the study by his own teaching experience. ...
Free apps drain smartphone energy on 'advertising modules'
2012-04-05
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Researchers have shown that popular free smartphone apps spend up to 75 percent of their energy tracking the user's geographical location, sending information about the user to advertisers and downloading ads.
"It turns out the free apps aren't really free because they contain the hidden cost of reduced battery life," said Y. Charlie Hu, a Purdue University professor of electrical and computer engineering.
Because smartphone batteries must be small and lightweight, power consumption is a major issue, the researcher said. He has led work to create ...
HollywoodSportsbook.eu Announces April "Nuthin' But Baseball" Month Long Promotion
2012-04-05
Hollywoodsportsbook (www.hollywoodsportsbook.eu, formerly www.hollywoodsportsbook.com) a leading online entertainment gaming site since 1997, today announced that April is "Nuthin' But Baseball" month. All month, Hollywood is giving away pairs of tickets to its qualifying clients to all levels of baseball games in their client's neighborhoods, whether it be MLB or even High School ball...
Robert Evans, Hollywood's Director of Operations says "April is here and that means only one thing.... Baseball is in full swing!... And we want our players and let Hollywood ...
Quantum computer built inside a diamond
2012-04-05
Diamonds are forever – or, at least, the effects of this diamond on quantum computing may be.
A team that includes scientists from USC has built a quantum computer in a diamond, the first of its kind to include protection against "decoherence" – noise that prevents the computer from functioning properly.
The demonstration shows the viability of solid-state quantum computers, which – unlike earlier gas- and liquid-state systems – may represent the future of quantum computing because they can be easily scaled up in size. Current quantum computers are typically very small ...
Internet use promotes democracy best in countries that are already partially free
2012-04-05
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Although use of the internet has been credited with helping spur democratic revolutions in the Arab world and elsewhere, a new multinational study suggests the internet is most likely to play a role only in specific situations.
Researchers at Ohio State University found that the internet spurs pro-democratic attitudes most in countries that already have introduced some reforms in that direction.
"Instead of the internet promoting fundamental political change, it seems to reinforce political change in countries that already have at least some level ...
Dependable Tampa Tree Service, M & M Tree Service, is Proud to Launch New Website
2012-04-05
M & M Tree Service has been one of Tampa Bay's preferred tree services since 1993. Owners Mike and Lynda Machado have served the Tampa Bay community for almost 20 years, providing dependable quality tree service and exceptional customer service to residential and commercial customers and are proud to unveil their new and improved website.
Designed with easier navigation, a showcase of beautiful photos reflecting some of their many tree and landscape projects throughout Tampa Bay and a robust question-and-answer page providing valuable advice to clients and consumers. ...
Drawing connections between food webs
2012-04-05
Ecosystems today face various threats, from climate change to invasive species to encroaching civilization. If we hope to protect these systems and the species that live in them, we must understand them — an extremely difficult and time-consuming task, given the world's seemingly endless number of ecosystems, each with its own complex dynamics and relationships.
But what if we could pinpoint the most powerful players in a given food web, those "keystone" species without which the entire ecosystem would collapse? And what if we could predict how changes to an ecosystem ...
Antibody therapy prevents gastrointestinal damage following radiation exposure in mice
2012-04-05
NEW YORK, APRIL 4, 2012 — A new study offers the first evidence of a drug capable of preventing lethal damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation, such as those occurring during a nuclear incident. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments or prophylactics available to manage the condition, known as radiation gastrointestinal syndrome (RGS), which is associated with weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, systemic infection, and – in extreme cases – septic shock and death.
The research was conducted in ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Less intensive works best for agricultural soil
Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation
Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests
Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome
UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership
New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll
Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025
Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025
AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials
New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age
Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker
Chips off the old block
Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia
Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry
Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19
Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity
State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections
Young adults drive historic decline in smoking
NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research
Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development
This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack
FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology
In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity
Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects
A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions
AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate
Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative
Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine
Mission accomplished for the “T2T” Hong Kong Bauhinia Genome Project
[Press-News.org] Study finds link between injectable contraceptives and breast cancer risk in younger womenRecent use for a year or more doubled the risk of invasive breast cancer