Reference summary — not medical advice or a personal risk estimate.
Combined oral contraceptives
Group 1 — carcinogenic to humansMedications & MedicalbehavioralEvidence: sufficient_in_humans
Summary
Combined oral contraceptives are associated with slight increases in some cancers and reduced risk of others.
Detail
Estrogen-progestogen oral contraceptives are Group 1 with sufficient evidence for breast, cervix and liver cancer; they are also associated with reduced risk of ovarian, endometrial and colorectal cancer. The overall risk-benefit balance is individual; discuss with a clinician.
Regional relevance
global
global
Sources
Primary sources
Consumer references
Third-party tools some readers use alongside primary evidence. Meyron doesn't endorse them; we link them because you'll otherwise hit them anyway.
- California Prop 65 list
State of California's list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm.