Hormone therapy linked to risk of ovarian cancer

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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.