What is the relationship between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer?
Until fairly recently, women of menopausal age were advised to take HRT (hormone replacement therapy: a combination of estrogen and synthetic progesterone) or, if they had had a hysterectomy, ERT (estrogen therapy). Both were considered useful to relieve hot flashes and to reduce the risks of a number of diseases, including heart disease and Alzheimer’s. After extensive studies, it is now known that continued use of HRT or ERT act to increase the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s and breast cancer. A summary of ERT studies found that women who take it for five or more years increase their risk of breast cancer by about 35 percent. The risk lasts as long as a woman takes hormones but disappears within five years after she stops them. Studies on HRT demonstrate that the use of progestins (i.e., synthetic progesterone) magnifies the risk. As with ERT, it seems to take five years before risk increases on HRT. After that, the risk increases slightly with each additional year on HRT For thi
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