Hormone Replacement Therapy News
" Hormone replacement therapy risks still argued "
August 4, 2005
Women continue to be confused over mixed reports regarding hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal symptoms, but the latest study may help calm the fears among some women.
According to the new research, a women's risk of developing breast cancer while taking combined hormone replacement therapy is actually low. After the Women's Health Initiative published their initial results showing there could be a problem with breast cancer and HRT, women were left wondering what to do.
When investigators pulled the plug on the Women's Health Initiative trial in 2002 due to evidence that women taking HRT had a higher incidence of heart attacks, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer, the medical community was shocked. Up to that point, doctors had been routinely prescribing hormones to women to prevent cardiovascular problems, but the studied showed it actually was increasing risks.
More recently, a study left women even more puzzled by suggesting that when estrogen is given alone it may not increase the risk of breast cancer. The new study appearing in the Aug. 6 issue of the British Medical Journal tried to address the confusion over hormone replacement therapy by assessing risk from an individual perspective.
The researchers in the study estimated the individual breast cancer risk of women up to 79 years of age, something known as cumulative absolute risk. Study authors found that as a woman aged, as long as she was not taking combined hormone replacement therapy, a combination of estrogen and progestin, the cumulative absolute risk of breast cancer actually declined.
Women aged 40 to 79 not using hormone replacement therapy have a 7.2 percent average risk of breast cancer, at 50 years of age women have a 6.1 percent average risk of breast cancer and at 60 years of age women have a 4.4 percent average risk of breast cancer. Risk starts to increase when combined hormone replacement therapy is added, however.
After five years of hormone replacement therapy starting at age 55 adds additional risk of 0.6 percent. After ten years, the woman's risk increases 1.8 percent. The study did find that if the HRT therapy is stopped the risk returns to that of a woman of the same age who has never used the hormones.
While risk was less if the woman used estrogen alone, there are documented problems with using the hormone by itself. A woman taking estrogen alone with a uterus will have increased risks of uterine cancer, as well as other very serious health issues like strokes.
In the end, individual risks must be considered alongside a qualified doctor. All medical background must be assessed and the patient and doctor may need to look for alternate methods of alleviating symptoms besides hormone replacement therapy.
Half of all women, according to surveys in the U.S. and New Zealand, have stopped or been scared to use the hormone replacement therapy following mixed reports of its safety. In the UK, officials have advised women taking HRT to take the smallest possible dose for the shortest time and to have regular reviews to make sure the treatment is still safe. As use of HRT becomes longer, the risks may begin to outweigh the benefits and it may no longer be the best choice in alleviating symptoms.
Age, medical history and family history can affect the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy and should be discussed carefully with a qualified medical professional.
For more information on Hormone Replacement Therapy contact
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If you are currently taking hormone replacement therapy,
the combination of estrogen and progestin, you are advised
to contact your doctor IMMEDIATELY
for hormone replacement therapy alternatives.
For more information on hormone replacement therapy alternatives
and your legal rights, please
contact a hormone replacement therapy lawyer.
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