Early Hormone Use May Increase Cancer

Taking hormones even for a short time in early menopause may increase the risk of breast cancer, a large study finds. Many women used to take estrogen plus progesterone to treat menopause symptoms. Previous research showed that this increased breast cancer risk. But most women in those studies were well past menopause or took the hormones for five years or more. Doctors now advise women to take no more than a small dose for a short time. The new study included 1 million British women as they went through menopause. Researchers looked at breast cancer rates in those who were 50 to 59 years old. Of those who had never taken hormones, 0.3% a year developed breast cancer. The rate was 0.46% a year in women who started taking hormones at least 5 years after menopause began.