Summary: Early Reproductive Events and Breast Cancer

Minority report written from National Cancer Institute finds induced abortion is associated with an increase in breast cancer risk. Among studies on U.S. women, 13 of 15 women have reported an overall association between the two.

• Report written by Dr. Joel Brind in the National Cancer Institute Minority Report in response to an NCI workshop he attended entitled “Early Reproductive Events and Breast Cancer.” According to Brind, the workshop presenters claimed that “induced abortion is not associated with an increase in breast cancer risk.” However, Dr. Brind disagreed with their findings, stating that “…of 38 epidemiological studies published through 2002, 29 have reported relative risks greater than 1.0, with 17 of these achieving at least borderline statistical significance (among studies on U.S. women, 13 of 15 have reported a positive overall association, 8 of them achieving at least borderline statistical significance.)”¹

¹Early Reproductive Events and Breast Cancer: A Minority Report, National Cancer Institute Minority Report, March 10, 2003, p.3.