Breast cancer in hospitalized psychiatric patients

Abstract

Elevated serum prolactin levels caused by antipsychotic agents have been suspected of increasing the risk of breast cancer. The authors reviewed all the cases of breast cancer in 1969-1978 among the female population of a large psychiatric hospital and compared the incidence and prevalence rates of this group to expected rates. The rates of breast cancer among these psychiatric patients were not higher despite their use of antipsychotic drugs.