Kansas state lawmakers heard testimony this week saying there is a link between abortion and breast cancer. The testimony in front of the committee on Federal and state affairs came from Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, an oncologist specializing in breast cancer. The committee did not hear any other testimony before drafting H.B. 2598.
The bill, if passed, would require doctors to inform patients that an abortion will increase their chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Dr. Lanfranchi said when a woman gets an abortion, her chances of getting breast cancer increases between three and five percent depending upon her age. She cited a few American studies, as well as ones from China and Turkey.
"There was a causation effect," said Representative Steve Brunk (R-Wichita), the committee chairman. "This doesn't always cause breast cancer, but she was maintaining that there is a link."
Members of the American Cancer Society and Komen for the Cure dispute these findings. On both organizations' websites, they say there is no definitive link between abortion and breast cancer.
"In science, you look at large studies that are well conducted that are well controlled to identify if that's a study you'd want to base any patient care on or a risk factor," says Dr. Patti Moser of the American Cancer Society.
In 2003, both the Board of Scientific Advisers and Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Cancer Institute stated publicly the scientific evidence did not support a link between abortion and breast cancer. Dr. Moser says doctors should not be forced to state otherwise.
"I don't think that would be the best information to share with a woman because the information is not there in the science to support it."
But lawmakers feel satisfied with Dr. Lanfranchi's testimony. "She's saying that statistically there is a higher risk," Rep. Brunk said.
