Is Ethinyl Estradiol a Carcinogen?
Ethinyl Estradiol as a Carcinogen
Ethinyl Estradiol is a contraceptive treatment that, when taken along with other hormones, can prevent pregnancy. Ethinyl Estradiol is also used by women for various other hormonal problems related to estrogen, such as hormone replacement therapy. Some studies have shown that, along with other negative side effects, Ethinyl Estradiol may possibly have carcinogenic characteristics.
Carcinogens
The word carcinogen refers to any substance that may increase a person’s chance of developing cancer or induce the spread of cancerous cells. Carcinogens are found in naturally occurring elements and also in chemicals and chemically engineered substances. They interfere with cell DNA and trigger uncontrolled cell division that creates tumors. These tumors, if left untreated, will eventually lead to the shutting down of the affected organs. There has been a longstanding awareness that hormone replacement therapies sometimes come with an increased risk of certain kinds of cancer.
Ethinyl Estradiol
As contraceptive drugs and treatments became more and more popular over the years, studies have arisen that have linked these treatments to the development of certain types of cancers. Estrogen replacement therapies, especially those that did not include the addition of progestagens, were found to be connected to extraordinary cell proliferation in tissue and organs. Some of the studies that produced these findings that linked estrogen replacement to cancer also included ethinyl estradiol. It was found that higher doses and longer periods of estrogen replacement treatment led to an increased risk of cancers.
Conflicting Findings
Breast cancer is one of the major causes of death for women across the world. Data collected from decades of studying women who have undergone hormone replacement therapy have resulted in conflicting findings where breast cancer is concerned. Some studies have shown a small to moderate increase in the chances of developing breast cancer for women who undergo hormone replacement therapy. However, there have been other studies that have shown no increased risk of developing breast cancer for women who have estrogen replacement.
Another type of cancer that is often linked to hormone replacement therapy is endometrial cancer, or cancer of the lining of the uterus. Post menopausal women who are on estrogen replacement therapy have been shown to have a significantly higher risk of developing endometrial cancer. However, it has been found that the addition of progestin to estrogen replacement therapy will help the symptoms of menopause without increasing the risk of the patient developing endometrial cancer. This treatment is called combined hormone replacement therapy. As a result, post menopausal women are rarely, if ever, given estrogen by itself.
Risk vs. Benefit
Ethinyl estradiol is very effective when used as a contraceptive and also when it is used as a hormone replacement therapy. Ethinyl estradiol is widely used by women across the world to great effect and the risks are well known. The increased risk of cancers, though significant, is not an astronomical figure. The addition of progestin to women who use ethinyl estradiol reduces the risk of cancer, but it can not be said that it removes the risk altogether. Women who decide to use ethinyl estradiol should always speak with their physicians to discuss the risks and the benefits to using it.