Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The role of spontaneous and induced abortion on breast cancer risk is examined among 267,361 women recruited into the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition between 1992 and 2000. The data were collected from 20 centers, across 9 countries, and included information on a total of 4,805 women with breast cancer, of whom 1,657 reported having ever had any type of abortion. Overall, the relative risk of breast cancer in women who reported ever having had a spontaneous abortion was not significantly elevated when compared with women who reported never having had such an abortion (RR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.99-1.14). However, there was some evidence of a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer among women who reported having had 2 or more spontaneous abortions (1.20, 1.07-1.35). The relative risk of breast cancer among women who reported ever having had an induced abortion when compared to women who reported never having had an induced abortion was 0.95 (0.87-1.03). Overall, the findings provide further unbiased evidence of the lack of an adverse effect of induced abortion on breast cancer risk.

Original publication

DOI

10.1002/ijc.22001

Type

Journal article

Journal

Int J Cancer

Publication Date

01/10/2006

Volume

119

Pages

1741 - 1745

Keywords

Abortion, Induced, Abortion, Spontaneous, Breast Neoplasms, Europe, Female, Humans, Neoplasm Invasiveness, Risk Factors, Societies, Medical