According to the authors, in the case of breast cancer, this increase was “very small”: less than 0.1% per year. But the publication of this study, now outdated, caused panic and misinformation about hormone replacement, which continues to this day among women, but also among doctors.
Reassuring results
“These findings should provide additional reassurance to women about hormone therapy,” Lisa C. Larkin, president of the Menopause Society, said in an interview with the Journal of Menopause, referring to the new research findings.
“These data are broadly consistent with the World Health Initiative data as we understand them today – for most women with menopausal transition symptoms, hormone therapy is the most effective treatment and has benefits that outweigh the risks.”
She noted that there may be some exceptions, especially in older women who are at risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and stroke. Among these women, the risks of HT may outweigh the benefits and it may be wise to stop hormone therapy, she explained. “In these older women with specific risk factors, the discussion about continuing or stopping HT is nuanced and complex and should involve shared decision-making,” she said.
It is possible to reduce the risk of breast cancer
With treatment that combined estrogen and progestin, both estrogen plus progestin and estrogen plus progestin were associated with a 10% to 19% increased risk of breast cancer, but the authors stated that this risk could be mitigated with low doses of estrogen plus progestin or trans Skin. Vaginal progestin.
