The contraceptive Pill and cancer – a look behind today’s headlines

cerelle pill switching to micronor?
i was on the cerelle pill mini pill for around 4 month but it was making me depressed and i was insane, lashing out and crying my eyes out wanting to die for the most pathetic reasons ever usually arguments with my boyfriend. i was never like this before but i have an awful violent side to me now i cant help. everything else about this pill is great. it has stopped my periods which is good for me and i have had no other side affects such as acne or weight gain, i have decided t change to micronor help my mood swings. can anybody tell me if this will still stop my periods or how it will affect me (in likelihood) and if it well get rid f these awful mood swings

Remember the words of German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer who, 200 years ago, said all truth goes through three stages:
•First it is ridiculed
•Then it is violently opposed
•Finally it is widely accepted as self evident

So pleased to read this . I had leaukaemia age 39 so early menopause. I have no history of breast cancer in my family but great grandma was Jewish so I am concerned about ovarian cancer. I have written at length to my GP stating my case but he wants to take me off mycrogynon as I am now 55. I am considering buying them from the internet if he will not prescribe them as I feel so strongly about the benefits on cardio and imune system. Unfortunately the GP just reads the BNF which quotes age 50 but my circumstances are not the norm. I have contacted the pill manufacturer direct but they just refer me to the GP. Any info you have to back my case would be appreciated.

I found this very interesting and good to talk with my daughter, especially as cancer has affected my family, with my mother dying of cervical cancer and my mother in law surviving breast cancer it just helps , thankyou.

I had polycistic ovary syndrome which the combined pill helped but I decided to have the meriner coil fitted. From day 1 my pcos flared and my weight went up out of control. I had it removed and a few months later I had an aggressive cancer 2009…. lumpectomy radiotherapy chemotherapy and herceptin with tamoxifen. In 2012 I had another breast cancer non aggressive so lumpectomy radiotherapy and a prospect of having my ovaries chemically shut down for 5 years. I opted for an oophorectomy. I think the coil was to blame.

Excellent article very informed ad balanced

My friend died age 19 she was on the pill, I went to see my gp concerned about taking the pill and was told that it was not a risk, I wanted to be sterilised and kept going back to my gp asking to be referred to be sterilised and she kept defusing, I was then diagnosed with a grade 3 breast cancer which has spread into my lymph glads. HER 2 + chemo radio herceptin 4 operations and a hysterectomy. Thanks Doc.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 which was oestrogen fed.
I had a lumpectomy, hysterectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a year of herceptin and am still on daily aremidex. I also had the mirena coil fitted for many years, before diagnosis.
I have 2 teenage daughters and find it a worry when thinking about which contraception is best for them.
This article has helped.

I was diagnosed with oestrogen positive breast cancer and had the breast removed in January of this year. I had never taken the pill for any long periods of time as it didn’t suit me but 7 years ago I started using the Mirena coil which is progesterone based I believe. When I was diagnosed by cancer team advised me to have it removed as the research into progesterone’s relationship with oestrogen was unclear so I did to be on the safe side. I cannot say if this caused my cancer but it is high on my list of suspicions.

In 1973 my mother, who was then 36 years old was diagnosed with breast cancer and subsequently had her breast removed. At the time, she was told that it was due to the hormones in the pill that had caused the cancer and was advised to not let any daughters she may have take the pill. I cannot speak for my sister but, I personally have never taken the pill and have advised my own daughter not to. I am pleased to say my mother lived another 40 years after having had her breast removed and recently died at the age of 77 years, which was not cancer related.

Meant to add that I was diagnosed with breast cancer September 2010 and was 53 and no menopause.

I took the contraceptive pill for many years and stopped it after a nurse on my pill check said why am I taking it,,,its not a vitamin!!!! i stopped in January 2010 and was diagnosed with Oestregen related breast cancer. This was probably a coincidence and i havent dwelled on this as there are many factors to the possible cause. This is a good article tho, thank you.

Clear, concise information. Thank you

Excellent article!

A great article having read about this in the paper I was a little concerned but this has educated me on the ‘bigger picture’ which is neglected in the media.

I was put on the pill after the birth of my first child as my period pain was the equivalent to the 1st 2 stages of a birth.any risk was worth being pain free to me.I’m now 74 so no harm done as far as i know

A very good article. As a GP (now retired) I remember a lecture on the Pill and a slide showing numerous studies of the effect on breast cancer incidence. They were all except one a little either side of no effect except one, which showed a greatly increased risk, examination of which, showed a flawed study. Apart from the protective element for ovarian and endometrial Ca, it is easy to forget that an unwanted pregnancy can carry more risk.

Thanks for this article – really informative and helpful and should be shared far and wide!
I hate how the press sensationalises everything, leading to misinformation and panic. Good to see something a bit more sensible from real experts. Thanks!

I took the pill for probably 15 years, then had a hysterectomy at age 40 due to endometriosis. I am now 68 and 3 years ago had surgery for breast cancer had the cancer removed and up to press it has not returned. As you say in the tests it has been a long time since I took the contraception pill, and therefore probably had no influence on the cancer.

I have been on the depo-provera twice, and I am glad I came away from it. My Mum and my Nan have both had hormone related breast cancers. My Mum had a coil fitted for many years and was advised to get it removed once her treatment was finished. After speaking to a consultant at my local hospital, she advised I had made the right decision to come off of the depo.

Does taking the pill for many years cause scarring on the liver?
I am now 71 but I took the pill from the age of 45 until into my 60’s.
I was told that this had probably left a scarring mark seen on my liver during MRI scans.

Candi – sorry to hear about your mini stroke. I don’t think you can assume the two are linked it just appears that the timing of these events was unfortunate. Genetics/family history and lifestyle ie smoking are significantly related to this predisposition.
University lecturer Amanda

Very interesting breakdown. I have wondered whether there are genetic associations to risk with the pill, or raising estrogen levels – but it sounds like this study doesn’t go near that area. Reading your limitations within this study, those are some rather significant areas, for sure. It’s too bad they weren’t factored in. Hopefully they will be in the future. ~Catherine

The pill is a joke I took it for 6 weeks and ended up having a mini stroke due to a blood clot that formed in my head I’m now on medication for 6 months and I’m only 30 this stuff doesn’t run in my family and I’m a healthy person