No Evidence Found Linking Abortion to Breast Cancer

There is no evidence that having an abortion increases the risk of getting breast cancer later in life, according to scientific advisors to the National Cancer Institute.

Now the question is when the institute will update its Internet “fact sheet” for women on the topic, which says that the evidence is not clear. That update will happen soon, an agency spokeswoman said Friday.

Until last year, that fact sheet said there appeared to be no link between abortion and breast cancer. But in November, after complaints from abortion opponents and members of Congress, the NCI replaced its patient information with the statement suggesting confusion -- and called in outside experts to review the data.

This week, the NCI quietly posted the conclusion of those experts on its Web site: “Induced abortion is not associated with an increase in breast cancer risk,” the report says. Neither is a miscarriage, it adds.