The National Breast Cancer Coalition continues to debunk stories that say abortions cause breast cancer.
NBCC officials point to the highest quality studies that show there is no link between abortion and breast cancer risk. Thus, public policy efforts should be aimed at educating women that abortion will not increase their risk of breast cancer.
Research Evidence
Over 30 studies have examined the relationship between abortion and breast cancer, and many of these studies have found no link. Though some studies have suggested that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, these studies were severely flawed and their results are not valid.
In 1997 researchers in Denmark published the results of a large, well done cohort study of abortion and breast cancer risk. This study, which included data on 1.5 million women, found no association between induced abortion and breast cancer risk; women who had abortions were no more likely to develop breast cancer than women who had not had abortions.
Several other recent studies have also found no association between abortion and breast cancer risk, including two studies conducted in China and a recent case-control study in Sweden that found abortion actually decreased the relative risk of breast cancer by 16 percent.
Expert Consensus
On February 24-26, 2003 the National Cancer Institute (NCI) held a work shop to review the research and to make conclusions about the relationship between reproductive factors and breast cancer risk.
After reviewing the evidence, the workshop attendees issued a report stating that there is strong evidence that neither spontaneous nor induced abortion increases the risk of breast cancer.
For further supporting documentation or clarification on NBCC's position, please call 1-800-622-2838.