Bad News for Menopausal Women: Hormone Therapy Boosts Ovarian and Breast Cancer Risk

Rebecca

over 2 years ago

I am always impressed by the information from the Women-to_women Clinic. Here's an article about this... http://www.womentowomen.com/bioidentical-hrt/perspectiveonrisks.aspx

Melanie Haik­en

over 2 years ago

This is a really good question. I will need to look into it, as the issues related to taking hormones post-hysterectomy are different. I'll cover this in a future post!

I guess I need some clarification. First of all, if I am on estrogen only, and the reason I am on hormones is because I had my ovaries removed, is there still a risk? Secondly, as I read the article on breast cancer, it was referring to women who take estrogen with progestins. Therefore, if I take estrogen only, what is the increased risk of breast cancer? This is all so confusing. I had a total hysterectomy three weeks before the original study came out. I had done lots of homework on the available information at the time and met for two hours with a consulting nurse in order to make an informed decision. And then three weeks into my recovery all the information I had learned was discounted. I have tried to go off the hormones, but in addition to debilitating hot flashes (every 20 minutes around the clock that not only make me sweat, but begin with an intense surge of nausea), I also get severe migraines, the kind that make me throw up and require that I lay motionless in a dark room for hours. Fun huh! Right now the only thing that keeps me functioning is the estrogen! So, based on the fact that I have no ovaries and take estrogen only, what is the actual risk of ovarian and breast cancer in my situation?