January 1, 2009
WOMEN AND THE STORM
 Most women are well aware of the increased risk of breast cancer associated with the use of hormone replacement therapy. I think it's time that women also be made aware of the increased risk of breast cancer associated with the use of oral contraceptives. Most women have no clue about an increased risk of breast cancer associated with the use of birth control pills; and those that have the nerve to ask their prescribing doctors about this risk have been told "not to worry." I think women need to worry. Here's why.
Several years ago the World Health Organization was asked by some of its members to review the relationship between exogenous estrogens, like those found in birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy, and breast cancer risk. These member physicians were concerned about the mounting evidence pointing to an increased risk of breast cancer in women who used exogenous hormones. Since the WHO's policy position did not reflect the accumulating evidence they were observing in the published literature they asked WHO to take a fresh look. Fortunately, the WHO complied with this request and formed a committee of experts to look at the new evidence with a fresh eye. The WHO experts reviewed the published literature relating to exogenous estrogens and they concluded in their report, published in 2005, that exogenous estrogens -oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy — were both Group I carcinogens — known to cause breast cancer in humans. That was nearly four years ago.
The committee reviewed all of the material related to exogenous hormone use, either as birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, and they placed these substances in the same cancer-producing category as lead and benzene. And yet there are over 100 million women who use birth control pills everyday. And everyday these innocent women are pouring metabolites of synthetic estrogen into our shared environment. Group I carcinogens are being manufactured, consumed and dumped into our environment, by the millions, every day.
The WHO report, placing BCP and HRT into the dangerous category of Group I Carcinogens, remains obscure in modern print media. The package inserts that the FDA requires for all medications does not cite the WHO report, but equivocates about the potential hazard of these synthetic estrogens. I shall not equivocate. I subscribe to the WHO report and feel compelled to share this information with as many women as possible. So, my inaugural message for 2009 is a clarion call, a warning to women to avoid exogenous estrogens as much as possible.
I urge every reader to take a look at this report and judge for themselves. Please do not you give yourself a breast cancer by taking one of these substances – or, if you do decide to take the risk anyway, then at least be familiar with what the risks are.
Regards,
Kathleen T. Ruddy, MD
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