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The Role of Hormonal Factors in Cancer Prevention

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Epidemiologic Studies in Cancer Prevention and Screening

Part of the book series: Statistics for Biology and Health ((SBH,volume 79))

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Abstract

Women should be informed that early age at the birth of one’s first child protects against breast cancer and that risk of both breast and ovarian cancers declines with increasing duration of breast-feeding. Combined oral contraceptives afford long-term protection against endometrial and ovarian cancers, and these benefits outweigh the small increase in risk of breast and liver cancers in users of these products. Long-acting injectable progestational contraceptives also protect against endometrial cancer. Users of both of these hormonal contraceptives are at increased risk of cervical cancer, and services that provide these products present an opportunity for screening and prevention of deaths from this condition. Long-term postmenopausal therapy with estrogens increases risk of cancers of the endometrium and ovary. The addition of a progestogen to the regimen reduces the excess occurrence of these neoplasms; but, because this beneficial effect is outweighed by an increase in the risk of breast cancer and multiple noncancerous conditions, use of these combined products, as well as estrogens alone, should be avoided.

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  1. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. N., 19024, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA

    David B. Thomas

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  1. University of Toronto, 392 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville, L6J 1J8, Ontario, Canada

    Anthony B. Miller

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Thomas, D.B. (2013). The Role of Hormonal Factors in Cancer Prevention. In: Miller, A. (eds) Epidemiologic Studies in Cancer Prevention and Screening. Statistics for Biology and Health, vol 79. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5586-8_10

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