Women taking certain birth control pills may be more likely to develop breast cancer, according to the findings of an important new study. In the study, published in the medical journal Cancer Research on August 1, researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that younger women taking high-dose estrogen pills may face an increased risk of breast cancer side effects. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer or another serious side effect, and you believe a potentially dangerous drug or birth control pill to be the cause, contact a skilled product liability lawyer today to explore your possible compensation options. You may have grounds to file a drug injury claim against the manufacturing company, in order to pursue financial compensation for your injuries.
Researchers involved in the birth control pill cancer study examined data on women between the ages of 20 and 49, who were diagnosed with breast cancer from 1990 to 2009. According to their findings, women taking high-dose estrogen pills were approximately 50% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, compared to women taking other types of oral contraceptives. The researchers also found similar increases in the risk of breast cancer among women taking birth control pills containing the progestin ethynodiol diacetate (Femulen, Metrodiol and Continuin), and among women taking oral contraceptives with triphasic dosing with an average of 0.75 mg of norethindrone (Jolivette, Mocronor, Aygestin).
“Our results suggest that recent use of contemporary oral contraceptives is associated with an increased breast cancer risk, which may vary by formulation,” the study authors wrote in their final report. “If confirmed, consideration of the breast cancer risk associated with different oral contraceptive types could impact discussions weighing recognized health benefits and potential risks.” Although the researchers noted that the overall risks of breast cancer associated with birth control pills remains very low, this new research sheds light on the possible side effects linked to the use of powerful oral contraceptives.
Breast cancer isn’t the only potential side effect associated with the use of birth control pills. Some of the most popular oral contraceptives, like Yaz and Yasmin, have been linked in recent years to an increased risk of potentially life-threatening complications like stroke, pulmonary embolism, heart attack and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). If you believe you have been adversely affected by side effects of Yaz, or another potentially dangerous birth control pill, our consumer advocates at the Consumer Justice Foundation can help put you in touch with a qualified attorney who has experience handling birth control injury claims.
