Hormonal contraceptive, ‘The Pill’ has in a new study been found to increase chances of developing cancerous brain tumor.
According to a study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, taking a hormonal contraceptive for at least five years possibly increases the risk of developing a rare tumor- glioma of the brain.
Research team leader Dr David Gaist says there is some evidence that female sex hormones, found in hormonal contraceptives, may increase the risk of some cancer types.
This however may vary depending on age.
Researchers drew data from Denmark’s national administrative and health registries and identified all the women in Denmark who were between 15 and 49 years of age and had a first-time diagnosis of glioma.
They found 317 cases and compared each of these women with eight age-matched women who didn’t have gliomas.
“While we found a statistically significant association between hormonal contraceptive use and glioma risk, a risk-benefit evaluation would still favour the use of hormonal contraceptives in eligible users,” says Dr Gaist, who points out that it is important to carry on evaluating long-term contraceptive use in order to help women choose the best contraception for them.