Tailoring combination oral contraceptives to the individual woman

Breast Cancer Risk After Radiation Therapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma: Influence of Gonadal Hormone Exposure

BACKGROUND

Young women treated with chest radiation therapy (RT) for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) experience a strongly increased risk of breast cancer (BC). It is unknown whether endogenous and exogenous gonadal hormones affect RT-associated BC risk.

METHODS

We conducted a nested case-control study among female 5-year HL survivors treated before age 41. Hormone exposure and HL treatment data were collected through medical records and questionnaires for 174 BC case patients and 466 control patients. Radiation dose to breast tumor location was estimated based on RT charts, simulation films, and mammography reports.

RESULTS

We observed a linear radiation dose-response curve with an adjusted excess odds ratio (EOR) of 6.1%/Gy (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1%-15.4%). Women with menopause <30 years (caused by high-dose procarbazine or pelvic RT) had a lower BC risk (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.03-0.51) than did women with menopause ≥50 years. BC risk increased by 6.4% per additional year of post-RT intact ovarian function (P<.001). Among women with early menopause (<45 years), hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use for ≥2 years did not increase BC risk (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.32-2.32), whereas this risk was nonsignificantly increased among women without early menopause (OR, 3.69; 95% CI, 0.97-14.0; P for interaction: .06). Stratification by duration of post-RT intact ovarian function or HRT use did not statistically significantly modify the radiation dose-response curve.

CONCLUSIONS

BC risk in female HL survivors increases linearly with radiation dose. HRT does not appear to increase BC risk for HL survivors with therapy-induced early menopause. There are no indications that endogenous and exogenous gonadal hormones affect the radiation dose-response relationship.

Contraceptive options for women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder: current insights and a narrative review

Premenstrual syndrome and its most severe form, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), are two well-defined clinical entities that affect a considerable number of women. Progesterone metabolites and certain neurotransmitters, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid and serotonin, are involved in the etiology of this condition. Until recently, the only treatment for women with PMDD was psychoactive drugs, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Several years ago, there has been evidence of the beneficial role of combined hormonal contraceptives in controlling PMDD symptoms. Oral combined hormonal contraceptives that contain drospirenone in a 24+4-day regimen are the only drugs that have been approved by US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of PMDD, but there is scientific evidence that other agents, with other formulations and regimens, could also be effective for the treatment of this condition. However, it remains unclear whether the beneficial effect of combined hormonal contraceptives is associated with the type of estrogen or progestogen used or the treatment regimen.

Types of combined oral contraceptives used by US women

BACKGROUND

We sought to estimate the prevalence of types of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) used among US women.

STUDY DESIGN

We analyzed interview-collected data from 12,279 women aged 15-44 years participating in the National Survey of Family Growth, 2006-2010. Analyses focused on COC use overall, by pill type, across sociodemographics and health factors.

RESULTS

The prevalence of current COC use (88 different brands) was 17%. The majority of COC users used earlier-formulation COCs: ≥30 mcg (67%) versus <30 mcg estrogen (33%), monophasic (67%) versus multiphasic (33%) dosages and traditional 21/7 (88%) versus extended/other cycle regimens (12%) regimens. Norgestimate (32%) and norethindrone (20%) were the most commonly used progestins. Sociodemographic, gynecological and health risk factors were associated with type of COC use.

CONCLUSION

Further investigation of specific COC use and of the factors associated with types of pills used among US women at the population level is needed.