Benign breast tumor and estrogenic hormones: a population-based retrospective study

Abstract

Histories of the usage of oral contraceptives and other estrogens were obtained from 320 women 20-49 years of age who had pathologically confirmed diagnoses of benign breast disease made at Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown, Maryland, during the period 1968 through 1972. Similar histories were obtained from 320 controls matched for race, sex, age, residence in county, and willingness to participate in a health survey. No association could be found between oral contraceptive usage and benign breast tumor. The use of other estrogens, notably diethylstilbestrol, was significantly related to the presence of benign breast disease.

PIP: The association of noncontraceptive estrogen therapy and of oral contraceptive use with benign breast disease in a relatively stable and homogeneous community of about 100,000 residents (Washington County, Maryland) was examined. Records of the county hospital from 1968 through 1972 were reviewed and former patients interviewed. Comparable controls were selected and interviewed. Interviews were completed on 320 cases and their matched controls. There were 275 diagnoses of cystic disease and 46 fibroadenomata. Ages of patients ranged from 20 to 49 years. Cystic disease was more common in the older patients and fibroadenomata was more frequent in the younger patients. The use of estrogenic hormones was significantly associated with an increased risk of benign breast tumor but use of oral contraceptives was not. Findings were similar for both types of benign disease. Of the different estrogenic hormones used, diethylstilbestrol was most conspicuously related to benign breast diseases. There was an excess of cases (p less than .01) among women whose estrogen usage had begun more than 4 years prior to the reference date. It is concluded that use of estrogen-progestagen contraceptive preparations was not shown to cause benign breast lesions.