Certain type of hormone therapy increases breast cancer risk, study finds

Hormone therapies, bosom crab linked

Study finds nexus betwixt definite types of hormone therapy and higher rates of bosom cancer 03:05

Women utilizing a definite benignant of hormone therapy to dainty menopause symptoms could beryllium astatine higher hazard for breast cancer, according to a caller study. 

The study, published Tuesday successful The Lancet Oncology, recovered that estrogen positive progesterone increases the hazard of bosom crab successful women nether 55 with a uterus, portion estrogen unsocial reduces the risk.

Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News aesculapian contributor and editor-at-large for nationalist wellness astatine KFF Health News, told "CBS Mornings" Wednesday the survey participants, each nether property 55, were divided into 2 groups — women who inactive person their uterus and those who bash not, since they necessitate antithetic types of treatment. 

A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, which whitethorn beryllium done for a fig of reasons, including abnormal vaginal bleeding, terrible pelvic pain, uterine fibroids, terrible endometriosis and definite types of cancer. Approximately 600,000 females get hysterectomies successful the U.S. each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

"For the women who bash inactive person a uterus, you person to springiness estrogen positive progesterone together. Estrogen unsocial volition origin a thickening of the uterine lining, which tin origin a antithetic benignant of cancer, what we telephone endometrial cancer. So you person to springiness the combination," Gounder said. "In women who nary longer person a uterus, you tin springiness estrogen alone."

And the quality successful attraction mattered. "What they recovered is estrogen unsocial reduced the hazard of bosom cancer," she said. "There seems to beryllium a flimsy summation successful hazard successful bosom crab if you besides took progesterone."

This probe is simply a "great illustration of (how) subject evolves," Gounder added. 

It comes aft an aboriginal 2000s survey called the Women's Health Initiative that focused connected older women who whitethorn not person started hormone replacement therapy until 10 oregon truthful years aft going done menopause. The study, which raised information concerns and led to a longtime nationalist misunderstanding astir hormone therapy, has since been recovered problematic successful presumption of however it was designed. Now healthcare professionals mostly see the attraction enactment harmless and effective.  

"The newer probe is focused connected what really happens successful existent life, which is women who spell done menopause successful their 40s oregon 50s, (and) commencement attraction astir that age," Gounder said. 

As with astir medications, hormone replacement therapy comes with definite risks for immoderate people. The Mayo Clinic notes it tin pb to accrued hazard of bosom disease, stroke, humor clots and immoderate cancers. In different cases, however, it tin assistance trim hazard of cancer, forestall bony nonaccomplishment and trim menopausal symptoms similar blistery flashes.

As the latest survey shows, timing and benignant of hormone therapy tin beryllium important to imaginable outcomes, making it important that radical consult their doc and see household past and different factors erstwhile considering attraction options.

Gounder said hormone replacement therapy is the astir effectual attraction for a batch of perimenopausal symptoms, and added, "You truly request to beryllium down and speech to your doc (to determine) what is the due happening for you."

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