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Hormone Replacement Cancer Risk May Linger

Posted on: Wednesday, 5 March 2008, 12:00 CST

A U.S. follow-up study on hormone replacement therapy found an increased risk of cancer may linger even after women stop taking estrogen plus progestin.

The Women's Health Initiative trial of estrogen plus progestin, which included 16,608 postmenopausal women was stopped in 2002 when there appeared to be an increased risk of breast cancer, a failure to demonstrate a health benefit and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease stroke and venous thromboembolism.

Dr. Gerardo Heiss of the University of North Carolina, and colleagues examined the risks and benefits experienced by 15,730 trial participants from July 2002 to March 2005, after they stopped hormone therapy.

The risk of fractures during the postintervention follow-up was similar among women in both groups for each type of fracture considered: hip, vertebral and other osteoporotic fracture, the researchers said.

The risk of cardiovascular events after the intervention were comparable to the placebo group -- meaning that the increased risks found during the trial period weakened after study drugs were stopped.

However, the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, said the greater risk of invasive breast cancer remained elevated during the follow-up.

Source: United Press International

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