Birth Control Pills And Cancer Risk: What IARC’s Group 1 Classification Really Means
Combined estrogen-progestogen birth control pills are classified by IARC as a Group 1 carcinogen, but this category measures the strength of cancer evidence, not how dangerous or likely the risk is compared to tobacco or asbestos. Research shows the pill may slightly raise breast and cervical cancer risk during use, while lowering ovarian, endometrial, and colorectal cancer risks for many years









