TheWorldTonight: Birth Pill 'May Cut Cancer Risk' ; HEALTH: Scientists Say New Contraceptive Could Be Available in 5years
Posted on: Tuesday, 28 March 2006, 12:00 CST
By Jane Kirby
A NEW contraceptive pill that could cut the risk of breast cancer could be on the market in the next five years, scientists said today.
The pill works by stopping periods and could signal an end to the symptoms of premenstrual tension.
It could also help women suffering from conditions like endometriosis and cut the risk of thrombosis in those who are older, overweight and who smoke.
The current combined pill, which is used by more than two million women in the UK, carries an increased risk of breast cancer.
It is made up of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, with the progesterone believed to lead to increased cancer risk.
The new pill works by blocking the effects of progesterone and is based on compounds used in the abortion pill, RU486.
The new pill works with much lower doses than in RU486 and blocks progesterone before a pregnancy even occurs.
David Baird, professor of reproductive endocrinology at the University of Edinburgh, who is leading the research, said animal tests showed that the pill inhibits the introduction of breast cancer. He added: "On theoretical grounds, there is no reason tosuspect that this should increase the risk of breast cancer, in fact, it might even decrease it.
"The same is not true for the combined pill, which in theoretical and epidemiology studies increases the risk of breast cancer.
"Women who don't take any pills have quite a high risk of developing breast cancer. A lot of factors contribute to that - one is that they have repeated monthly cycles.
"If you reduce the cyclical exposure of the ovary to the ovarian hormones oestrogen and progesterone, you should reduce the risk of breast cancer."
Prof Baird said larger-scale studies were needed but tests so far had shown few side effects.
Source: Coventry Evening Telegraph
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