I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of thirty one. I had been taking oral contraceptives for over thirteen years. I was not the type of person that constantly questioned how I got breast cancer or tried to figure out 'why me?' I knew that there were so many factors that could have contributed to me getting breast cancer. Why try and figure it out anyway?, I'm never going to really know the real reason for certain. I wasn't focused on why I got breast cancer at a young age but wanted to focus on surviving the disease. I guess I'm more of the kind of individual who thinks 'why not me'? I know that cancer can happen to anyone, at any age.

Over the years since I have been diagnosed I have read that oral contraceptives do not cause an increased risk of breast cancer, and I have read other articles that suggest they do increase the risk.

This week I read an article that stated oral contraceptive use is a risk factor for premenopausal breast cancer, especially in women who use them prior to having a child. The analysis builds on many studies with similar findings, but even as the findings stack up many women are unaware of the risks.

The study noted that 21 out of 23 retrospective studies have shown an increased risk of breast cancer in women who took oral contraceptives prior to pregnancy. It also showed that those women experienced an increased risk of developing breast cancer by 44 percent. The World Health Organization classified oral contraceptives as a class one carcinogen, which means there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.

Physicians need to talk to their patients about the risks of oral contraceptives. I do not remember ever having any conversations about increased risk of breast cancer when given the pill. I might have still decided to take the pill, but at least I would have been aware of the risk. It might also be beneficially for young women taking oral contraceptives to have earlier screening for breast cancer.