[Oral contraceptives and endometrial and ovarian carcinomas]

Combined oral contraceptives reduce the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer by about 50%. The risk of both carcinomas decreases with an increasing duration of oral contraceptive use. The reduced risk lasts for 10-15 years after cessation. A significantly lower risk of developing an endometrial carcinoma can be observed for contraceptives with a high progestin and a low estrogen concentration. Due to the protective effect, the use of oral contraceptives is a useful means for primary prevention (chemoprevention) in women at high risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers.