Aug 16 2009
Breast Cancer Hormone Therapy
hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer
Hormone Replacement Therapy and Breast Cancer
Executive Summary about breast cancer hormone therapy by Michael Russell
Many women are hesitant to take hormone replacement because they fear that it will increase their chances of developing breast cancer. Statistical data shows that breast cancer affects one in every thirteen women by the age of seventy-five and one in eight women who have a family history of this disease. In some cancerous tumors, a substance known as estrogen receptor is present, which means the possibility that cancer may be promoted by estrogen therapy.
Data is contradictory in that studies linking estrogen therapy to breast cancer also show that women on estrogen who developed breast cancer had survival rates that were significantly better than that of women not on estrogen.
Although studies that show an increased risk of breast cancer are only population studies that surveyed women on hormone replacement therapy, rather than rigorously designed clinical trials comparing the experience of a group of women taking this treatment than a group taking a placebo, they still should make a doctor cautious about prescribing a high dose or prolonged use of estrogen replacement therapy to a woman with a known high risk of breast cancer. All in all, with hormone replacement therapy of less than five years’ duration, there is no increase in the incidence of breast cancer. Furthermore, while it appears that the incidence of breast cancer may increase with long term hormone substitution, women who get breast cancer while on hormone therapy are less likely to die from the disease.
Hormone Replacement Therapy after Breast Cancer
Generally speaking, a great deal has already been discussed on the issue of hormone replacement therapy. However, less is known specifically about this form of therapy for breast cancer survivors. One reason for this is that physicians are concerned about prescribing any of these drugs to their patients for fear that it might increase the risk of cancer recurrence. Each individual woman should be given the chance to consider the risks and benefits of hormone replacement based on their personal situation. Every woman experiences menopause differently, with varying degrees of symptoms. Some women go through menopause with little difficulty and without increased risk of osteoporosis or heart disease. Professional practice in medicine has endorsed allowing women to replace ovarian hormones with hormone replacement therapy once the ovaries begin to fail. Evidence and clinical experiences indicate that the benefits clearly outweigh the risk and expense of such therapy. However, evidence has yet to be found with regards to the risks to women surviving beast cancer. For most women, the question lies in the correlation between hormone replacement therapy and an increased risk of breast cancer. Does hormone therapy contribute to breast cancer? There also appears to be anecdotal data that women with breast lobular neoplasm may have an increased risk for recurrence with hormone replacement therapy. However, with or without this form of therapy, these women are still at an increased risk of recurrence.
Statistical probabilities can be given based on the cancer’s characteristics. Regrettably, late recurrences do rarely occur. Breast cancer patients are advised that once treatment is complete, they should consider themselves cured, move on.
Medical research shows that low dose hormone replacement therapy for less than 10 years does not significantly contribute to the development of breast cancer in the general population, but the question is, does this apply to the population of women cured of breast cancer?
Checko out other guide on breast cancer medication.
