Oral contraception and breast pathology.

After a rapid examination of the international literature concerning human, animal, histological and epidemiological experimental data, the Authors state that the use of oral contraceptives considerably reduces the risk of benign disease of the breast. This risk reduction seems to be connected to the presence of progestin in this type of contraception. The Authors then expound the data regarding a group of patients (3527), who came to the center for the diagosis and prevention of cancer of the breast at the S. Martino hospital of Genoa during the years 1977-1980. The results of the study are comparable to those found in international literature, in that they confirm the protective effect of hormonal contraception on benign pathology of the breast. Finally we have shown the data of the retrospective and prospective studies conducted up till now on the effects of hormonal contraception on malignant breast pathology. In conclusion we have shown which lines of study should be taken in order to clarify once and for all the links existing between estroprogestins and cancer of the breast.