Oral contraceptives and cervical carcinoma

Abstract

In a case-control study, 689 consecutive patients with cervical carcinoma were studied for their use of oral contraceptives. The control patients were matched for age, ethnic origin, age at first pregnancy, age at first coitus, and socioeconomic status. There was no significant difference between case and control subjects in the duration or oral contraceptive use, the type of estrogen used, or the years in which oral contraceptives were used. The mean duration of oral contraceptive use was 30.9 months by the case subjects and 30.2 months by the control subjects.

PIP: The author's experience with oral contraceptives and cervical carcinoma from 1969 through 1975 is described. A case-control study was made of 689 consecutive patients (mean age, 33.1 years) with cervical cancer as to their use of oral contraceptives. Each case subject was matched with a control subject for age, ethnic origin, age at 1st coitus, age at 1st pregnancy, and socioeconomic status. 81% were black, 11% white, and 8% were of Latin American origin. A total of 364 case subjects and 371 control subjects had used oral contraceptives. Mestranol and ethinyl estradiol were the most frequently used estrogens by both groups. The mean duration of oral contraceptive use was 30.9 months for case subjects and 30.2 months for controls. No significant difference was shown between case and control subjects in any classification.