Narod's study followed 207 women with ovarian cancer resulting from the defective genes and also 161 of their sisters. It found women who had taken birth control pills had an overall 50 percent lower risk of ovarian cancer. If they had taken the pill for six years or more, the risk fell to 60 percent. Birth control pills may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer Some studies have found that birth control pills may increase the risk of breast cancer. But Narod said his research has not found that pills significantly increase the risk for breast cancer in women with BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Ovarian cancer is often fatal.
More than half of all women are dead within five years of being diagnosed. The BRCA gene defects often occur in Jewish women of Eastern European heritage. CNN Health Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.