Abortion and Breast Cancer: It's Time to Take the Link Seriously

Time Magazine ran a cover story last week on pregnancy resource centers. In the course of the article, Time mentions one opinion that centers "inflate" the risk abortion poses for breast cancer. I can't speak for what individual centers have claimed, but I can clear up some confusion on the question.

I'm on the campus of Texas A and M this week training pro-lifers through interactions with abortion-choice advocates surrounding the Justice For All Exhibit. Because one Exhibit panel informs women of the risks abortion poses to both their health and their baby's life, it includes the phrase "abortion may be a risk factor for breast cancer."

On Wednesday, one A and M student was angry that the exhibit was "inaccurate." His beef? "It claims abortion causes breast cancer and that has been debunked." I assume Time's comment about "inflating the risk" is in the same vein: If you claim there may be a connection, you're inflating the risk.

Time cites a 2003 National Cancer Institute meeting as evidence. Frequently, students I talk with also cite this as evidence that there isn't a connection between abortion and breast cancer. If only it were that simple.

The question of whether abortion is a risk factor for breast cancer is not a question that can be resolved by a meeting of National Cancer Institute scientists. It should be resolved in the peer-reviewed medical literature. Sure, the opinion of one or even 100 scientists can be helpful, but unless they give their reasons, we can't evaluate what they've said.

So, what does the literature say? In a subsequent post, I'll summarize the research. For now, I have two suggestions:

1. Remember that our moral case against abortion doesn't hinge on the answer to this question. If abortion isn't a risk factor for breast cancer, I'll gladly breathe a sigh of relief, even as I continue to make the case that it's wrong to kill the unborn for the reasons most women have abortions. If abortion is a risk factor for breast cancer, we should take care to inform women of the risk so they can make appropriate monitoring decisions. Our case against abortion is sound regardless of what the evidence shows on breast cancer. Whether you're pro-choice or pro-life, we can all work together to evaluate the evidence on breast cancer with an open mind. Women's lives may depend on it.

2. Use the following resources to begin to form your own opinion:

Perhaps the most important study is Janet Daling's 1994 study. Here's the abstract.

Thorp, et. al published a meta-analysis, "Long-Term Physical and Psychological Health Consequences of Induced Abortion: Review of the Evidence" (Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey. 58(1):67-79) in January 2003. Here's the abstract and the article.

Chris Kahlenborn's book, Breast Cancer: Its link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pill, explains the scientific complexities in layman's language. Portions are available online.

Breast Cancer Prevention Institute has some excellent fact sheets that carefully respond to recent studies claiming to refute the idea that abortion is a risk factor for breast cancer. One explains why the National Cancer Institute meeting didn't settle the question.

Comments

[Alvin]

Steve, since you mentioned the 02/26/07 issue of Time magazine, I will recommend that people also look at the story on page 52 "Are Doctors Playing Hunches?" This may help to clarify why establishing medical fact is so difficult and sometimes too easy.

I'll also add that there just are not enough MD PhD's out their who can do thoroughly scientific medical research. Too much of medicine is subject to controversy with claims and counter-claims, but if good data could be shown many arguments would cease.

[DPierre]

Thank you, Steve, for writing about this and providing important information and excellent links! I, too, have often heard the "NCI" rebuttal.

Good info.

[Sandra]

Hi Steve,
This is off on a tangent sorry, but not sure how else to reach you. Wondering if you did actually post your reponse to Margaret Sykes' article on false pro-life claims re foetal brainwaves? I'm very interested and would love to read your reply.
Thanks, Sandra (New Zealand).