And? Relevance? The risk/benefit of using condoms is much better for
preventing HIV than the putative and unlikely risk of condoms causing
cancer. Pretty darn remote.

        George M. Carter

**
Med Self Care. 1980 Summer(9):35-7. Related Articles, Links  

A consumer's guide to the condom comeback.

Castleman M.

PIP: By 1970 the potentially serious health risks associated with oral
contraceptive (OC) and IUD use started to scare women and men into
using barrier methods, condom and diaphragm, which worked effectively
and caused no side effects. Condom sales rose dramatically 1975 and
have risen 10% year since. Currently, condoms are America's 2nd most
popular temporaty contraceptive, after OCs. US pill sales have
declined 25% since 1975. If recent sales trends continue, condoms will
be more widely used tha OCs by 1985. Contrary to myth, condoms are an
effective birth control method. Many men who speak negatively of
condoms have never used them. Some, who tried them years ago in the
back seat of the family car, rejected them before they were accustomed
to them. It takes time to feel at ease with a condom. Condoms are free
of side effects and are the only contraceptive that prevents the
spread of venereal disease. Drawbacks include: they dull ensitivity;
they interrupt; they are embarrassing to buy; and they break.
Precautions to prevent most breakage include; open the wrapper
carefully before becoming too aroused; make sure the woman is fully
lubricated before insertion; store condoms in a cool place; never use
a condom whose wrapper has come unsealed; and buy condoms with
"receptacle tips." Other suggestioons are: comparison shop; do not buy
colored condoms or "textured surface" condoms; after ejaculation, hold
the condom on to prevent leaving it, and the ejaculate, inside the
vagina; and use each condom only once. If a condom breaks or comes
off, immediate insertion of foam can prevent sperm migration. Also the
woman should neither douche nor use the morning after pill, which
contains the carcinogen diethylstilbestrol.

**
Richardson AC, Lyon JB. The effect of condom use on squamous cell
cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1981 Aug
15;140(8):909-913.

Between January 1, 1968, and July 1, 1980, 377 of a total 412 patients
with biopsy-proven cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) were seen
in the private office of the authors and followed for more than 6
months after biopsy and the start of treatment. Thirty-five patients
were lost to follow-up. Ninety-one were treated primarily by
hysterectomy. The 286 patients in whom childbearing function was to be
preserved were instructed, as soon as the diagnosis of CIN was
confirmed, to use a mechanical barrier (the condom) throughout
intercourse. In addition to the use of the condom, 40 of the 286
underwent surgical conization and 107 underwent cryosurgery. All of
these 147 patients eventually showed cytologic and colposcopic
regression of the disease. One hundred and thirty-nine patients were
treated with the condom alone. One hundred and thirty-six of the 139
showed complete regression of the disease. Eighteen (6.2%) of the 286
patients had late recurrences of the disease; 12 of these experienced
regression again with the resumption of the use of the condom. No
patients showed progression of the disease while using the condom. All
grades of CIN proved to be reversible. It is recommended that a
mechanical barrier at intercourse be added to any program for
conservative treatment of CIN.

PIP: Between January 1, 1968 and July 1, 1980, 412 non-indigent
patients, of all racial groups, were diagnosed and treated; 377 with
biopsy-proven cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) were
followed-up for a minimum of 6 months. There were 4 treatment groups
based primarily on chronology of treatment rather than other criteria.
Initially, condom therapy was an adjunct rather than a primary
therapy. Response to treatment was judged by colposcopy and cytology;
regression of the lesion was defined as no evidence of dysplasia on
colposcopy and 2 consecutive Class I Papanicolaou smears during
follow-up. Group A which included 91 treated by hysterectomy (average
follow-up 68 months) showed no recurrence of CIN. Group B which
consisted of 45 treated with biopsy, surgical conization, and condom
(average follow-up 72 months) had a 7.5% recurrence rate. Group C
which included 119 treated with biopsy, cryosurgery, and condom
(average follow-up 41 months) had no recurrence after an average 4.8
months after biopsy. Group D which comprised 157 treated with biopsy
and condom (average follow-up 38 months) had a 2.2% recurrence rate
after an average of 4.99 months after biopsy. Average age was 35.7,
27.6, 27.2 and 26.2 respectively. No patient showed progression of the
disease while using the condom. 11 (8.1%) had late recurrences at an
average of 30 months after reversal. 8 had reversal with condom use, 2
were treated with hysterectomy, and 1 has not shown improvement. 286
patients retained childbearing function, and 283 showed complete
regression. 12 of the 18 patients showing late recurrence regressed
after rebiopsy and resumption of condom use. The data indicate that
the promotion factor in cervical dysplasia was male originated. All
grades of CIN in the young patient are generally reversible with
carcinogen removal. Therefore, a mechanical barrier at intercourse
should be added to any program for conservative treatment of CIN.

PMID: 7270603 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]