Hormones Linked to Ovarian Cancer Risk

A new study adds to the evidence that hormone therapy increases the risk of ovarian cancer. The study included 900,000 Danish women. Their ages ranged from 50 to 79. Women who took hormones after menopause had a 38% higher risk of ovarian cancer. But the overall risk of this cancer is low. The researchers said hormone therapy would lead to 1 extra case per year for every 8,300 women. The form of hormones and how long they were used did not affect the risk. Risk returned to normal two to four years after the women stopped use. The study confirms results of earlier research. It was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Reuters Health and HealthDay news services wrote about it July 15.