Birth control has long-term effect on hormon...(elieve this discovery could be translate...)
elieve this discovery could be translated fairly quickly into a study in women. If our results are confirmed to also occur in women, they could change the way we look at oral contraceptives and cancer risk," added Cline, a professor of pathology and comparative medicine.
With funding from the National Institutes of Health, researchers began with 181 premenopausal cynomolgus monkeys and followed them for seven years in a study designed to look at hormone effects on many aspects of female health.
Half of the monkeys were given a birth control treatment of triphasic estrogen and progestin, marketed by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals as TriphasilTM, for 26 months. At the end of the premenopausal phase of the study, the animals underwent surgery to have their ovaries removed, making them surgically menopausal.
The postmenopausal monkeys were then divided into three dietary intervention groups to evaluate the effects of soy on hormone metabolism.
Urine samples were collected from each monkey during the 35th and 36th months of the postmenopausal phase of the study and frozen for subsequent analysis of metabolite concentrations.
Lab results showed that the premenopausal use of oral contraceptives resulted in significantly lower levels of most estrogen metabolites three years after surgical menopause. Among the most abundant metabolites, percent changes ranged from a 25 percent reduction in E1 to a 50 percent reduction in 2OHE1 with oral contraceptive administration. Postmenopausal dietary isoflavones induced fewer significant effects on postmenopausal estrogen metabolite concentrations.
"The magnitude and persistence of oral contraceptive effect really surprised us," said Cline, a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. "It tells us that there may be a new and potentially strong cancer-protective mechanism at work. This could open new doors of inquiry in the field."
'/>"/>
| Contact: Jessica Guenzel jguenzel@wfubmc.edu 336-716-3487 Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Source:Eurekalert |
Related biology news :
1. Risk of common vaginal infection linked to preterm birth appears higher for blacks
2. Birth records hold pancreatic cancer clue
3. Researchers find evidence linking stress caused by the Sept. 11 disaster with low birth weights
4. Birth of an iceberg
5. The birth and death of dopamine neurons: A new model for neurodegeneration
6. Certain diseases, birth defects may be linked to failure of protein recycling system
7. New folic acid seal helps women choose enriched grain foods to help prevent birth defects
8. Immunosuppressant further linked to birth defects
9. Northern right whales head south to give birth, leave genetic fingerprints with NOAA researchers
10. Deadly genetic disease prevented before birth in zebrafish
11. Birth of an enzyme
| Copyright © 2003-2009 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |