Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0476089 (endometrial cancer)
 11,379 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Studies show that OCs have several benefits besides prevention of pregnancy. They protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, and ectopic pregnancy. OCs also prevent iron deficiency anemia, primary dysmenorrhea, functional ovarian cysts, and benign breast disease. They may even protect against some benign uterine tumors, osteoporosis, toxic shock syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis. Despite many concerns, some large studies have not identified an overall effect of OCs on breast cancer, but subgroup analyses showed increased risk in 30-34 year old women and in women with 1 child. A reanalysis of a large US study indicated an increase risk of breast cancer in nulliparous women with increasing use of OCs by young women. Cervical cancer is the leading cancer of women in developing countries which emphasizes the need to examine the link between OC use and cervical cancer. Several studies show an increased risk of cervical cancer. Several studies show an increased risk of cervical cancer in long term OC users. In 1 study, long term use meant 5 years. Yet these studies did not adequately address confounding factors such as smoking and sexual behavior. 3 case control studies in the US and the UK found an increased risk of liver cancer among OC users, yet a large case control study in developing countries did not find a link between OC use and liver cancer. Studies of high dose OCs found considerable increased risks of cardiovascular disease in OC users, but they did not take into account cigarette smoking which indeed increases the risk. Further health practitioners today do a more thorough job of identifying underlying medical problems before prescribing OCs. Moreover estrogen doses have fallen 10 fold since the original OCs. Finally, despite a transient delay, women who take OCs experience a return to fertility at the same rate as those who use other contraceptives.
 ...
PMID:The safety of oral contraceptives: epidemiologic insights from the first 30 years. 160 84

This review on the risks and benefits of oral contraceptives clarifies the risks and misperceptions, and discusses 10 potential health benefits. In the U.S. where maternal mortality is about 20.6/100,000, the risk of death from pills ranges from 1.8 for nonsmokers to 6.5 for smokers. It is likely that most of the small existing mortality risk of pill use is due to thromboembolism. Atherosclerosis, the major cause of death for U.S. women, may be reduced by the pill. It is still controversial whether pills increase risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and malignant melanoma; they protect against endometrial cancer (the 3rd greatest cancer killer) and ovarian (the 4th) cancer; they may increase risk slightly in some subgroups for breast and cervical cancer, although data are conflicting. Pills also protect against ectopic pregnancy, benign breast disease, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, iron deficiency anemia and possibly uterine fibroids and osteoporosis. It is no longer held that orals protect against toxic shock syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis. It is estimated that oral contraceptives avert 50,000 hospital admissions per year in the U.S.
 ...
PMID:The health effects of oral contraceptives: misperceptions, controversies, and continuing good news. 266 76

Dr. David Grimes, professor and vice-chair of the Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, spoke to the American Medical Association's Thirteenth Annual Science Reporters Conference in Seattle on November 7, concerning the health benefits of taking oral contraceptives. The risk of getting ovarian cancer decreases the longer the pill is used; this protection lasts at least 15 years after use has ended. Women who take the pill for a decade or longer reduce their risk of developing this cancer by 80%. The pill reduces the risk of endometrial cancer by as much as 50%; the protection is strongest in those at highest risk and lasts at least 15 years after use. The pill cuts the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease in half. The danger of ectopic or tubal pregnancy is reduced by 90%. By reducing menstrual flows, oral contraceptives increase the quality of life for women and reduce the risk of iron deficiency anemia. The progestin present in oral contraceptives substantially reduces the risk of benign breast disease. Oral contraceptives may protect against toxic shock syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis. A Gallup poll conducted in 1985 and early this year indicates gross misinformation and confusion about the pill among American women. While the pill should not be "pushed" on women by physicians, patients should be educated about the beneficial effects of taking the pill.
 ...
PMID:Report: the pill's health benefits appear to far outweigh its risks. 789 51

Some controversies regarding currently used contraceptive methods are reviewed. There are no newly available estrogens for oral contraceptives (OCs), but 2 progestins are coming into use: cyproterone acetate, which has a potent antiandrogenic action, and desogestrel, which combines a strong inhibitory effect on ovulaion and a marked peripheral progestin activity with very weak androgenic and anabolizing activity. New systems of administration will be used in the future to avoid the serum "peaks" observed in oral administration. The lack of agreement on the effects and secondary effects of various progestins will be a continuing source of discussion. 2 aspects of combined OCS, residual ovarian activity and androgenicity, are attracting increasing attention. Among new preparations, the combination of 2 mg cyproterone acetate and 50 mcg of ethinyl estradiol (EE) has been shown in multicenter European studies to have good effects on acne and satisfactory acceptance despite some hyperestrogenic secondary effects, which may be improved by a new dosage schedule. Triphasic preparations have given good results with significantly reduced steroid doses. There have been few recent findings concerning risks of OCs. The triphasic formulations and those containing desogestrel are too recent to have been subjected to epidemiologic study. The noncontraceptive benefits of OCs are becoming more apparent; they include protection against ovarian and endometrial cancer, functional ovarian cyst, ectopic pregnancy, salpingitis, benign breast disease, dysmenorrhea, rheumatoid arthritis, menorrhagia, and premenstrual syndrome. Improved knowledge of the mechanisms of action and local effects of IUDs permitted improved utilization. Ultastructural studies and endometrial exploration have show that non-fundally located IUDs entail greater risk of failure and complications. The question of early pregnancy with IUD use is still unresolved. Copper IUDs are now the most widely used type, but there are differences of apinion about whether the copper content should be increased or whether silver should be added to the core of the copper thread. IUDs with natural or synthetic progesterone may reduce bleeding and have other beneficial effects. Currently it is impossible to identify 1 particualr IUD as superior. IUD performance is improved by careful patient selection, choice of IUDs, and follow-up to identify and treat problems at an early stage. Improved spermicides such as Benzalkonjum chloride attracted greater attention to vaginal methods. The posibility of increased risk of toxic shock syndrome and teratogenic effects remain to be evaluated. Post-coital contraception continues to be important as yet no satisfactory new male methods have been developed. The US office of Technology Assessment has published a list of contraceptive developments or improvements expected by the year 2000.
 ...
PMID:[Current issues in contraception]. 1233 71