New study uncovers key to breast cancer fight

Recent news from the American Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) has revealed that oestrogen only hormone therapy may reduce the risk of early stage breast cancer.

The use of oestrogen-plus-progestin for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was trialled in 2002 in postmenpausal women and showed that there were more health risks than benefits, including higher incidence of invasive breast cancers at a more advanced stage, and a much greater proportion of abnormal mammograms compared with placebo.

The oestrogen-alone trial was stopped early because the data revealed an increased risk of stroke and no reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. yet preliminary analyses also found fewer breast cancers in women in that trial. This prompted a detailed analysis of breast cancer incidence and mammogram reports from the trial.

The analysis showed that women who had hysterectomies and who used oestrogen-alone did not have a greater incidence of breast cancer. Other findings showed that oestrogen-alone therapy may decrease the risk of early stage breast cancer and cancer of the milk ducts.

The findings were reported in the April 12 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)

Remember: Seek advice from your GP on how to best handle your situation.

Source: ©copyright Oestrogen-only hormone therapy may protect against breast cancer. May 9 2006 http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/content/internal/page.cfm?ObjID=0002E0A1-0685-1460-BBA783978717006D