The use of hormonal contraceptives in a cohort of healthy women with BRCA mutations under surveillance in an Italian Family Cancer Clinic.

Abstract

Purpose: The use of hormonal contraceptives (HC) in women with BRCA mutation is controversial. We describe the real-world application of HC in a cohort of healthy women with confirmed mutation under surveillance, in relation to the specific genetic mutations (BRCA1 vs. BRCA2), in comparison to similar women of the same cohort who were not using HC or had recently undergone risk-reducing surgery (RRSO).

Materials and methods: All premenopausal women with BRCA mutation with no previous breast cancer evaluated in a semestral period were included.

Results: Of a total of 158 women, 52 were excluded due to a history of breast cancer. Among the remaining 106 women, the majority (45.2%) were HC users; among them, most were BRCA1 carriers (p < 0.05). In addition, women using HC were younger and nulliparous in comparison to women who were not using HC or had recently undergone RRSO (p < 0.05). Finally, the trend of CA125 was not impacted by HC use, but CA125 values in women who had undergone RRSO were the lowest (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The use of HC in women with BRCA mutations is a well-established clinical practice in our Family Cancer Clinic, especially in young, nulliparous and BRCA1 mutation carriers.