Newer versions of oral contraceptives -- with lower levels of estrogen and progestin -- reduce the risk of ovarian cancer more than older concoctions of birth control pills

Researchers at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, whose work is published in the Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, say birth control pills have long decreased the risk of ovarian cancer. But over the years, doses of hormones in these pills have been decreased to reduce side effects -- and this seems to have an even stronger protective effect against the disease.

Studies show for women who had used any oral contraceptive a 50 percent reduction in risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to women who had never taken the pills. This risk was reduced by 38 percent
for women who took high estrogen and high progestin pills and by 81 percent for those taking pills with low levels of these hormones.

"Up to 42 percent of ovarian cancers might have been avoided if all women used some form of combined oral contraceptive pills," say researchers.

"An estimated 73 percent of ovarian cancers might have been avoided if all women used oral contraceptive pill formulation of low estrogen and low progestin."

My gynecologist would ask me every time I showed up for my appointments if I was routinely doing my self breast exams.

My husband found a lump in my breast. I immediately made an appointment to see my doctor. He feels the lump and then tells me that I am too young for breast cancer and to put it out of my head and not worry about the lump. At the time I thought that he could palpate the lump and know what it was. I know better now. The only way to know for sure if a lump is benign or cancerous is to biopsy it. I wish I knew then what I know now.

He never even suggested a mammogram or ultrasound. He didn't tell me to keep an eye on it - nothing!

Eight months later I asked him about the lump again. He said "It got bigger". My heart sank. He did at that time send me for an ultrasound which led to a mammogram and my diagnoses. It upsets me that my cancer had already spread to one lymph node. Maybe it would have been stage one breast cancer if he would have sent me for tests when I asked about it the first time.