Hormone Link to Breast Cancer Questioned

Researchers have raised doubts about whether hormone replacement therapy increases women’s risk of breast cancer. A large study, the Women’s Health Initiative, found such a risk for women who used estrogen plus progesterone. After that study was published in 2002, use of hormones dropped dramatically. Breast cancer rates also fell. Some experts thought the decline in hormone treatment was the reason. But the new study disagrees. The authors took another look at data from this study and two others. They found that the drop in breast cancer rates started in the late 1990s and ended after 2003. They concluded that the evidence is not strong enough to say hormone treatment causes breast cancer. An editorial published with the study agreed. The author said today’s lower doses of hormones should be compared with placebo (fake) pills in a new study.

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