Skip to main content
NCBI home page
British Journal of Cancer logoLink to British Journal of Cancer
. 1993 Sep;68(3):568–571. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1993.387

Oral contraceptives and breast cancer in northern Italy. Final report from a case-control study.

A Tavani 1, E Negri 1, S Franceschi 1, F Parazzini 1, C La Vecchia 1
PMCID: PMC1968391  PMID: 8353047

Abstract

To assess the relation between oral contraceptive (OC) use and breast cancer, we analysed data from a case-control study conducted in Northern Italy between 1983 and 1991 on 2,309 cases below age 60 and 1,928 controls admitted to hospital for acute diseases unrelated to OC use and to any of the known or potential risk factors for breast cancer. OC use was reported by 16% of cases and 14% of controls. The multivariate relative risk (RR) for ever vs never use of combination OC was 1.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-1.4). However, there was no trend in risk with duration. The RR was elevated for very short use, but declined to 0.8 (95% CI = 0.5-1.0) for five or more years' use. No noteworthy relationship was found for other major measures of OC use, although RR estimates were above unity for women who had stopped use less than 5 years before (RR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-2.0), started use less than 10 years before (RR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.0-1.9), started when 25 or more years old (RR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.1-1.7), or after first birth (RR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.0-1.5). No interaction was observed between OC use and family history of breast cancer, parity and age at first birth. A separate analysis of 373 cases and 456 control below age 40 showed no association with ever use (RR = 0.9, 95% CI = 0.6-1.2).

Full text

PDF
568

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Brinton L. A., Hoover R., Szklo M., Fraumeni J. F., Jr Oral contraceptives and breast cancer. Int J Epidemiol. 1982 Dec;11(4):316–322. doi: 10.1093/ije/11.4.316. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bruzzi P., Negri E., La Vecchia C., Decarli A., Palli D., Parazzini F., Del Turco M. R. Short term increase in risk of breast cancer after full term pregnancy. BMJ. 1988 Oct 29;297(6656):1096–1098. doi: 10.1136/bmj.297.6656.1096. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Day N. E., Brown C. C. Multistage models and primary prevention of cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1980 Apr;64(4):977–989. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Delgado-Rodriguez M., Sillero-Arenas M., Rodriguez-Contreras R., López Gigosos R., Gàlvez Vargas R. Oral contraceptives and breast cancer. A meta-analysis. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique. 1991;39(2):165–181. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Ewertz M. Oral contraceptives and breast cancer risk in Denmark. Eur J Cancer. 1992;28A(6-7):1176–1181. doi: 10.1016/0959-8049(92)90481-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kay C. R., Hannaford P. C. Breast cancer and the pill--a further report from the Royal College of General Practitioners' oral contraception study. Br J Cancer. 1988 Nov;58(5):675–680. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1988.285. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. La Vecchia C. Benign breast disease, oral contraceptive use, and the risk of breast cancer. J Chronic Dis. 1984;37(11):869–870. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(84)90020-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. La Vecchia C., Bruzzi P., Boyle P. Some further consideration on the role of oral contraceptives in breast carcinogenesis. Tumori. 1990 Jun 30;76(3):220–224. doi: 10.1177/030089169007600302. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. La Vecchia C., Decarli A., Fasoli M., Franceschi S., Gentile A., Negri E., Parazzini F., Tognoni G. Oral contraceptives and cancers of the breast and of the female genital tract. Interim results from a case-control study. Br J Cancer. 1986 Aug;54(2):311–317. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1986.178. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. La Vecchia C., Decarli A., Parazzini F., Gentile A., Negri E., Franceschi S. Determinants of oral contraceptive use in northern Italy. Contraception. 1986 Aug;34(2):145–156. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(86)90067-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. La Vecchia C., Parazzini F., Negri E., Boyle P., Gentile A., Decarli A., Franceschi S. Breast cancer and combined oral contraceptives: an Italian case-control study. Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol. 1989 Nov;25(11):1613–1618. doi: 10.1016/0277-5379(89)90306-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lubin J. H., Burns P. E., Blot W. J., Lees A. W., May C., Morris L. E., Fraumeni J. F., Jr Risk factors for breast cancer in women in northern Alberta, Canada, as related to age at diagnosis. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1982 Feb;68(2):211–217. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MANTEL N., HAENSZEL W. Statistical aspects of the analysis of data from retrospective studies of disease. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1959 Apr;22(4):719–748. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. McPherson K., Vessey M. P., Neil A., Doll R., Jones L., Roberts M. Early oral contraceptive use and breast cancer: results of another case-control study. Br J Cancer. 1987 Nov;56(5):653–660. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1987.261. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Meirik O., Lund E., Adami H. O., Bergström R., Christoffersen T., Bergsjö P. Oral contraceptive use and breast cancer in young women. A joint national case-control study in Sweden and Norway. Lancet. 1986 Sep 20;2(8508):650–654. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(86)90166-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Miller D. R., Rosenberg L., Kaufman D. W., Stolley P., Warshauer M. E., Shapiro S. Breast cancer before age 45 and oral contraceptive use: new findings. Am J Epidemiol. 1989 Feb;129(2):269–280. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a115132. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Olsson H., Möller T. R., Ranstam J. Early oral contraceptive use and breast cancer among premenopausal women: final report from a study in southern Sweden. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1989 Jul 5;81(13):1000–1004. doi: 10.1093/jnci/81.13.1000. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Olsson H. Oral contraceptives and breast cancer. A review. Acta Oncol. 1989;28(6):849–863. doi: 10.3109/02841868909092320. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Paul C., Skegg D. C., Spears G. F., Kaldor J. M. Oral contraceptives and breast cancer: a national study. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1986 Sep 20;293(6549):723–726. doi: 10.1136/bmj.293.6549.723. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Peto J. Oral contraceptives and breast cancer: is the CASH study really negative? Lancet. 1989 Mar 11;1(8637):552–552. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(89)90088-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Pike M. C., Henderson B. E., Casagrande J. T., Rosario I., Gray G. E. Oral contraceptive use and early abortion as risk factors for breast cancer in young women. Br J Cancer. 1981 Jan;43(1):72–76. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1981.10. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Prentice R. L., Thomas D. B. On the epidemiology of oral contraceptives and disease. Adv Cancer Res. 1987;49:285–401. doi: 10.1016/s0065-230x(08)60801-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Romieu I., Berlin J. A., Colditz G. Oral contraceptives and breast cancer. Review and meta-analysis. Cancer. 1990 Dec 1;66(11):2253–2263. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19901201)66:11<2253::aid-cncr2820661102>3.0.co;2-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Rosenberg L., Miller D. R., Kaufman D. W., Helmrich S. P., Stolley P. D., Schottenfeld D., Shapiro S. Breast cancer and oral contraceptive use. Am J Epidemiol. 1984 Feb;119(2):167–176. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113735. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Rushton L., Jones D. R. Oral contraceptive use and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis of variations with age at diagnosis, parity and total duration of oral contraceptive use. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1992 Mar;99(3):239–246. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1992.tb14506.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Schlesselman J. J., Stadel B. V., Murray P., Lai S. Breast cancer in relation to early use of oral contraceptives. No evidence of a latent effect. JAMA. 1988 Mar 25;259(12):1828–1833. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Skegg D. C. Potential for bias in case-control studies of oral contraceptives and breast cancer. Am J Epidemiol. 1988 Feb;127(2):205–212. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a114796. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Stadel B. V., Rubin G. L., Webster L. A., Schlesselman J. J., Wingo P. A. Oral contraceptives and breast cancer in young women. Lancet. 1985 Nov 2;2(8462):970–973. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(85)90524-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Ursin G., Aragaki C. C., Paganini-Hill A., Siemiatycki J., Thompson W. D., Haile R. W. Oral contraceptives and premenopausal bilateral breast cancer: a case-control study. Epidemiology. 1992 Sep;3(5):414–419. doi: 10.1097/00001648-199209000-00006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Vessey M. P., McPherson K., Villard-Mackintosh L., Yeates D. Oral contraceptives and breast cancer: latest findings in a large cohort study. Br J Cancer. 1989 Apr;59(4):613–617. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1989.124. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Vessey M., Baron J., Doll R., McPherson K., Yeates D. Oral contraceptives and breast cancer: final report of an epidemiological study. Br J Cancer. 1983 Apr;47(4):455–462. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1983.74. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Weinstein A. L., Mahoney M. C., Nasca P. C., Leske M. C., Varma A. O. Breast cancer risk and oral contraceptive use: results from a large case-control study. Epidemiology. 1991 Sep;2(5):353–358. doi: 10.1097/00001648-199109000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Cancer are provided here courtesy of Cancer Research UK

RESOURCES