Re: Hormone therapy linked to risk of ovarian cancer

[Guest guest]

,

This article makes me nuts. They have know that HRT's increase the

chance of

breast cancer and ovarian since 1992, but they feel that the positive

benefits of denser

bones and less heart attacks makes up for the fact that the HRT's are

causing

cancer in long term use. This past month the results were published

proving

that the bone density only is increased in the first 3 years. After

that there was no difference.

They have also found the the HRT's do NOT decrease our risk of heart

attacks.

Woman on long term HRT's are being urged to talk to their doctor about

stopping HRT's

especially if they have been on them long term.

HRT's are the 3rd most widely prescribed medication (if my memory is

right) so there is great

financial gain to keeping woman on HRT's.

Some woman experience severe menopause side effects and have to have

them, but there are

a lot of woman that take them because they think they are protecting

their bones and heart.

The truth is and has been know that they are increasing their risks of

cancer.

a

On Sunday, April 28, 2002, at 01:20 PM, wrote:

> Hormone therapy linked to risk of ovarian cancer

>

> NEW YORK, Apr 02 (Reuters Health) - Certain types of hormone replacement

> therapy may increase the risk of ovarian cancer in women who take the

> drugs after menopause, according to a study released on Tuesday. Those

> taking the drugs for more than 10 years seem to be at the greatest risk

> for ovarian cancer.

>

> However, the increase in risk is relatively modest and should be weighed

> against the potential health benefits of hormone replacement, according

> to Dr. Tomas Riman, from Falu Hospital, Sweden, and colleagues. Past

> studies have shown that hormone replacement therapy can reduce the risk

> of bone-thinning, and possibly heart disease, though that has not yet

> been proven.

>

> " We advocate cautious interpretation of our results and do not recommend

> changes to current hormone replacement therapy prescribing practices, "

> Riman and colleagues report in the April 3rd issue of the Journal of the

> National Cancer Institute.

>

> " For women to make an informed decision on whether or not to use hormone

> replacement therapy, all beneficial and adverse hormonal aspects

> concerning osteoporosis, coronary heart disease, venous thrombosis

> (blood clot formation) and other health effects must be addressed, " they

> add.

>

> In the study, the researchers compared 655 women with ovarian cancer to

> nearly 4,000 healthy women the same age. All the women were 50 to 74

> years of age.

>

> Compared with women who had never used estrogen replacement therapy,

> women who took estrogen alone were at increased risk of ovarian cancer.

>

> Women who used estrogen with sequentially added progestins--a cyclic

> regimen of the second hormone--were also at an increased risk of ovarian

> cancer compared with women who had never used estrogen.

>

> However, women who used hormone replacement therapy with continuously

> (daily) added progestins were no more likely to develop ovarian cancer

> than those who never had used hormones. Taking estrogen alone is know to

> increase the risk of cancer of the uterine lining, so most women now

> also take progestin, a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone, as

> part of hormone replacement therapy.

>

> The greatest increased risk of ovarian cancer was seen among women who

> had used estrogen with sequentially added progestins for more than 10

> years.

>

> However, the researchers note that the possible increase in risk is

> still relatively modest. Of 1,000 women taking estrogen alone or in

> combination with sequential progestin, 2 to 3 might develop ovarian

> cancer as a result of the treatment.

>

> SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002;94:497-504.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Don't go nuts, a! We need you here, sane and sound.

I agree. Given what I've read on HRT, the data so far does not compel me

to think that it is a good option for me when menopause comes. The

possible benefits are far from proven, so, at this time, I wouldn't be

willing to risk increased cancer odds.

Also, it's hard to trust the opinion on this matter of the very group of

physicians who so casually and frequently recommend removing our

reproductive organs without a long, hard look at the long-term

consequences or alternatives!

I wish none of this had anything to do with money, but, unfortunately,

your suspicions could be right on.

Re: [ ] Hormone therapy linked to risk of ovarian

cancer

> ,

> This article makes me nuts. They have know that HRT's increase the

> chance of

> breast cancer and ovarian since 1992, but they feel that the positive

> benefits of denser

> bones and less heart attacks makes up for the fact that the HRT's are

> causing

> cancer in long term use. This past month the results were published

> proving

> that the bone density only is increased in the first 3 years. After

> that there was no difference.

> They have also found the the HRT's do NOT decrease our risk of heart

> attacks.

> Woman on long term HRT's are being urged to talk to their doctor about

> stopping HRT's

> especially if they have been on them long term.

> HRT's are the 3rd most widely prescribed medication (if my memory is

> right) so there is great

> financial gain to keeping woman on HRT's.

> Some woman experience severe menopause side effects and have to have

> them, but there are

> a lot of woman that take them because they think they are protecting

> their bones and heart.

> The truth is and has been know that they are increasing their risks of

> cancer.

> a

>

>

> On Sunday, April 28, 2002, at 01:20 PM, wrote:

>

> > Hormone therapy linked to risk of ovarian cancer

> >

> > NEW YORK, Apr 02 (Reuters Health) - Certain types of hormone

replacement

> > therapy may increase the risk of ovarian cancer in women who take

the

> > drugs after menopause, according to a study released on Tuesday.

Those

> > taking the drugs for more than 10 years seem to be at the greatest

risk

> > for ovarian cancer.

> >

> > However, the increase in risk is relatively modest and should be

weighed

> > against the potential health benefits of hormone replacement,

according

> > to Dr. Tomas Riman, from Falu Hospital, Sweden, and colleagues. Past

> > studies have shown that hormone replacement therapy can reduce the

risk

> > of bone-thinning, and possibly heart disease, though that has not

yet

> > been proven.

> >

> > " We advocate cautious interpretation of our results and do not

recommend

> > changes to current hormone replacement therapy prescribing

practices, "

> > Riman and colleagues report in the April 3rd issue of the Journal of

the

> > National Cancer Institute.

> >

> > " For women to make an informed decision on whether or not to use

hormone

> > replacement therapy, all beneficial and adverse hormonal aspects

> > concerning osteoporosis, coronary heart disease, venous thrombosis

> > (blood clot formation) and other health effects must be addressed, "

they

> > add.

> >

> > In the study, the researchers compared 655 women with ovarian cancer

to

> > nearly 4,000 healthy women the same age. All the women were 50 to 74

> > years of age.

> >

> > Compared with women who had never used estrogen replacement therapy,

> > women who took estrogen alone were at increased risk of ovarian

cancer.

> >

> > Women who used estrogen with sequentially added progestins--a cyclic

> > regimen of the second hormone--were also at an increased risk of

ovarian

> > cancer compared with women who had never used estrogen.

> >

> > However, women who used hormone replacement therapy with

continuously

> > (daily) added progestins were no more likely to develop ovarian

cancer

> > than those who never had used hormones. Taking estrogen alone is

know to

> > increase the risk of cancer of the uterine lining, so most women now

> > also take progestin, a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone,

as

> > part of hormone replacement therapy.

> >

> > The greatest increased risk of ovarian cancer was seen among women

who

> > had used estrogen with sequentially added progestins for more than

10

> > years.

> >

> > However, the researchers note that the possible increase in risk is

> > still relatively modest. Of 1,000 women taking estrogen alone or in

> > combination with sequential progestin, 2 to 3 might develop ovarian

> > cancer as a result of the treatment.

> >

> > SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002;94:497-504.