Comparison of oral contraceptive use in women with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

The possible link between oral contraceptives (OCs) and cervical adenocarcinoma was tested by a case-case study of prior and current OC use in women with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Cases were matched by age, year of diagnosis, and stage of the lesion, and personal, reproductive, and contraceptive data were obtained by mailed questionnaires. Except for smoking, which was significantly more prevalent in women with squamous cell carcinoma, the two groups were identical, with similar OC exposure. This study does not support the idea that OCs modulate the expression of cervical neoplasia in favor of adenocarcinoma.