Estrogen Hormone
Replacement Therapy HRT Safer For Short Term - Significant Breast Cancer
Risk in Long Term Users - 20 Years
May 9th 2006
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An article in this issue of Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that
the long-term use of oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
does increase the risk of breast cancer. The authors say that
“short-term unopposed estrogen use does not seem to increase breast
cancer risk”.
The researchers used data from the Nurses’ Health Study. They observed
11,508 postmenopausal women who had a hysterectomy and reported
information on estrogen use at baseline (1980). The study population
expanded every two years until a total of 28,835 women were included in
the final follow-up period between the years 2000 and 2002.
The women were assessed using self-reported data on biennial
questionnaires. The results seem to conflict with a Stanford University
study just last month that found no evidence of any increased risk in
women who used the therapy for up to seven years. But does it conflict?
The new study found that women taking oestrogen for less than 10 years
did not appear to have a higher risk than those who had never taken
hormones. Those taking the hormone for over 20 years had a
“significantly” higher risk for breast cancer.
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals issued a press release that points out that there
was no increase in invasive breast cancer risk among postmenopausal
hysterectomized women who used estrogen alone therapy for less than 10
years. They added “there was a nonsignificant increase in breast cancer
risk among women who used estrogen therapy for 10 to 19.9 years, and a
significant increase in breast cancer risk among women who used estrogen
therapy for 20 or more years. Few women in the NHS study population used
doses lower than 0.625 mg of estrogen.”
A Wyeth spokesperson, said “Hormone therapy is a valuable treatment for
millions of symptomatic postmenopausal women. It should be prescribed at
the lowest effective dose and for the appropriate duration necessary for
a woman to achieve her treatment goals, with consideration given to her
individual risk profile.” Wyeth is a maker of estrogen and other
women’s health care products.
An ABC News report said that this is good news for women who want to use
estrogen for a short time to relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot
flashes and vaginal dryness. It was believed that HRT was effective in
helping postmenopausal women postpone age-related ills. The Women’s
Health Initiative (WHI) study showed that estrogen-progestin supplements
increased the risk of breast cancer, strokes and heart attacks.
Dan Wilson
Best Syndication
Books on Cancer
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