Medications, Health History and Cancer Risk
Certain medical conditions and medications can increase cancer risk. These articles address some of those concerns.
Birth Control Pills and Cancer Risk
Birth control pills (BCPs) have been found to cause a small increase in breast and cervical cancer risk and a decreased risk of endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancers.
Radiation Therapy for Benign Conditions
A few non-cancerous conditions can be treated with radiation, which can increase cancer risk.
Use of Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
As you get older, certain hormone levels decrease. The decrease in the hormones estrogen and progesterone can cause symptoms during menopause. Menopausal hormone replacement therapy is the use of medications that contain hormones to help manage the side effects of menopause.
How a Woman's Health History Affects Breast Cancer Risk
The article may be useful for people born with ovaries and a uterus.
Some parts of a woman’s health history can mean that her risk of developing breast cancer is higher. For most women, these are not factors that can be changed, but many women want to know about risks that may exist.
Atypical Hyperplasia
Atypical hyperplasia is an abnormal overgrowth of cells in the breast tissue. It is not cancer, but increases the risk of breast cancer in the future.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Exposure
DES was the first synthetic estrogen and was given to pregnant women from 1938-1971 to prevent miscarriages. It was found to cause health issues for the women who took DES and for the children born of these pregnancies (called DES daughters, DES sons).
Solid Organ Transplant and Cancer Risk
People who have had solid organ transplants (lung, heart, liver, kidney) have a higher risk of developing cancer due to immunosuppressive medications used to prevent rejection, infection with viruses known to cause cancer (HPV, Epstein Barr, H. Pylori), and other health issues.