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This month's focus is: Hormone Replacement Therapy (Previous Topic - 03/11 | Next Topic - 09/11)
An updated analysis of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) randomized control trials on menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogen plus progesterone shows an increase in both the incidence and mortality rates of breast and lung cancers. In one study 16,608 women ages 50-79 with an intact uterus were randomized to combined estrogen and progesterone therapy vs placebo for a median of 5.6 years. In the second study 10,739 women with a prior hysterectomy were randomized to estrogens alone vs placebo for an average of 7.1 years. Follow-up after 11 years revealed that women who received combined therapy had a 25% increase in breast cancer incidence and a 96% increase in mortality compared to women who were not placed on HRT. Furthermore, there was also a 23% increase in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) incidence with an 87% increase in mortality. The conclusions are groundbreaking!
With breast and lung cancers being the top two causes of cancer mortality in women, this is a very significant result. Contrary to prior practices, combined HRT should thus be used as a last resort for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, even if short-term. In this case, the risk certainly appears to outweigh the benefits.
Jancin B. "WHI Yields New Findings on HT Use and Big-Three Cancer Rates." Internal Medicine News. 44(2011): 1.