The researches found a total of 111 cases of cervical cancer were reported by 105 women (clear-cell cancer cases were excluded), which amounted to triple the risk found in non-exposed women in the same age group.
The study authors wrote, "DES daughters might actually be expected to have a lower prevalence of invasive cervical cancer than women in the general population, since DES daughters are screened more intensively for cervical cancer and since precursor lesions detected on screening are usually treated aggressively."
"Our finding," they said, "is therefore particularly striking.
Experts say this report underscores the need for DES daughters to have special DES exams at least once a year for the rest of their lives.
Back in September 2002, research published in the journal, Cancer Causes and Control, reported that DES daughters over the age of 40 were at greater risk for breast cancer.
In the study conducted by the National Cancer Institute, researchers looked at 5,000 women known to have been exposed to DES in the womb, and compared their medical histories with a similar number of women who were not exposed to the drug.
Overall, the study determined that DES daughters had an increased risk of breast cancer of 40%, but for those women over the age of 40, the increased risk was 250%, and the calculations were predicted to change as more women reached the over-40 age group.
DES daughter, Heather Justice, from the DES Action group in the UK, told BBC News on September 30, 2002: "Women who are worried about this need to ask their mothers - if they can - whether they took anything either during pregnancy or just before."
"If they did," she said, "they should arrange to see their GP and ask for breast screening."
According to the article, Heather herself survived vaginal cancer at the age of 25, and is now worried about the breast cancer risk.
In the latest study on the risks of breast cancer, published in the journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, researchers at Boston University School of Public Medicine, followed 4,817 women over the age of 40, who were known to have been exposed to DES in the womb and compared them with 2,073 women in the same age group who were not exposed to the drug. All total, there were 102 cases of breast cancer in the combined groups.
The study determined that the women who were exposed to DES had a 1.9 times greater risk of developing breast cancer when compared to women in the unexposed group.
The researchers say the explanation may be that the hormone drug increases the number of breast tissue stem cells available at birth which can become cancerous.
The study's lead author, Professor Julie Palmer, stated in BBC News on August 7, 2006: "This is really unwelcome news because so many women worldwide were pre-natally exposed to DES, and these women are just now approaching the age at which breast cancer becomes more common."
She urged women who were exposed to DES to have regular breast check-ups, and to think twice about using hormone replacement therapy. "It might be wise for exposed women to avoid such supplements," she said.
"Use of hormone supplements is, in itself, an independent breast cancer risk factor," she warned, "and women may choose not to compound their already increased risk."
The study authors wrote, "DES daughters might actually be expected to have a lower prevalence of invasive cervical cancer than women in the general population, since DES daughters are screened more intensively for cervical cancer and since precursor lesions detected on screening are usually treated aggressively."
"Our finding," they said, "is therefore particularly striking.
Experts say this report underscores the need for DES daughters to have special DES exams at least once a year for the rest of their lives.
In the study conducted by the National Cancer Institute, researchers looked at 5,000 women known to have been exposed to DES in the womb, and compared their medical histories with a similar number of women who were not exposed to the drug.
Overall, the study determined that DES daughters had an increased risk of breast cancer of 40%, but for those women over the age of 40, the increased risk was 250%, and the calculations were predicted to change as more women reached the over-40 age group.
DES daughter, Heather Justice, from the DES Action group in the UK, told BBC News on September 30, 2002: "Women who are worried about this need to ask their mothers - if they can - whether they took anything either during pregnancy or just before."
"If they did," she said, "they should arrange to see their GP and ask for breast screening."
According to the article, Heather herself survived vaginal cancer at the age of 25, and is now worried about the breast cancer risk.
In the latest study on the risks of breast cancer, published in the journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, researchers at Boston University School of Public Medicine, followed 4,817 women over the age of 40, who were known to have been exposed to DES in the womb and compared them with 2,073 women in the same age group who were not exposed to the drug. All total, there were 102 cases of breast cancer in the combined groups.
The study determined that the women who were exposed to DES had a 1.9 times greater risk of developing breast cancer when compared to women in the unexposed group.
The researchers say the explanation may be that the hormone drug increases the number of breast tissue stem cells available at birth which can become cancerous.
The study's lead author, Professor Julie Palmer, stated in BBC News on August 7, 2006: "This is really unwelcome news because so many women worldwide were pre-natally exposed to DES, and these women are just now approaching the age at which breast cancer becomes more common."
She urged women who were exposed to DES to have regular breast check-ups, and to think twice about using hormone replacement therapy. "It might be wise for exposed women to avoid such supplements," she said.
"Use of hormone supplements is, in itself, an independent breast cancer risk factor," she warned, "and women may choose not to compound their already increased risk."
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