title: GnRH agonists as contraceptive agents: predicted significantly reduced risk of breast cancer.
abstract: Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHAs) were investigated as contraceptive agents from the late 1970's to the mid-1980's. They were abandoned as they appeared to offer no advantage over conventional combination-type oral contraceptives (COCs). This conclusion appears to be incorrect. We propose here a contraceptive regimen of a depot formulation of a GnRHA plus add-back estrogen and intermittent progestogen. The dose of add-back sex-steroids is substantially less than that in COCs; this reduction in sex-steroids should lead to a major reduction in lifetime breast cancer occurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Southern California School of Medicine.
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Spicer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shoupe
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pike
mesh_terms: D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000494:pharmacology; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D016729:Leuprolide; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone