| A decline in hormone replacement therapy may be | | | | Quite quickly after the drop in HRT use began, |
| causing a decrease in the rates of a known risk | | | | researchers also began seeing a drop in breast cancer |
| factor for breast cancer, according to researchers. | | | | cases. The decrease in atypical ductal hyperplasia |
| A recent study published in the November issue of | | | | seen in this more recent research may shed light on |
| Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention has | | | | exactly how HRT causes the development of breast |
| shown that the rate of a benign breast condition | | | | cancer. Of course, the results of this study are not |
| known as atypical ductal hyperplasia has decreased | | | | strong enough on their own to prove that a decline in |
| along with the decline in hormone replacement | | | | atypical ductal hyperplasia was caused by a decline in |
| therapy (HRT) seen since 2002. Atypical ductal | | | | HRT, but the correlation is striking. |
| hyperplasia is a known risk factor for developing | | | | Along with the release of this research, combined |
| breast cancer, and is suspected of being a breast | | | | estrogen/progestin HRT took another hit in |
| cancer precursor. According to researchers, women | | | | November when a jury found that Pfizer, |
| diagnosed with atypical ductal hyperplasia have a 3 to | | | | manufacturer of the HRT drugs Prempro and |
| 5 times higher rate of developing cancer in either | | | | Provera, must pay an Illinois woman at least $6.3 |
| breast. | | | | million in damages because of their drugs' connection |
| In this study, researchers compared the atypical | | | | with her breast cancer. Pfizer recently acquired |
| ductal hyperplasia rate in 1999 and 2005, and found | | | | Wyeth, the maker of Prempro. Wyeth had previously |
| that it decreased from 5.5 per 10,000 mammograms | | | | lost 6 of 9 lawsuits related to Prempro and breast |
| to 2.4 per 10,000 mammograms. Over the same time | | | | cancer. |
| period, the rate of mammography increased, and the | | | | The increasing evidence linking certain forms of HRT |
| rate of HRT use decreased from 35 percent to 11 | | | | to cancer has caused some women to look to |
| percent. | | | | alternative treatments like herbs and bioidentical |
| The debate over a link between the use of | | | | hormones to manage menopause symptoms. |
| combined estrogen and progestin hormone | | | | However, the National Cancer Institute and other |
| replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause and | | | | researchers stress that there is little to no evidence |
| cancer has been raging ever since the Women's | | | | that these alternative treatments are safe either. |
| Health Initiative (WHI) Hormone Program showed an | | | | While the WHI study linked breast cancer to |
| increase in cancer in women taking Prempro in 2002. | | | | progestin (a synthetic progesterone), the study did |
| The study was halted early in July 2002 when the | | | | not look at the use of natural progesterone to show |
| increased breast cancer risk was detected. As a | | | | if it was as safe or safer than skipping hormonal |
| result, there has been a a huge decline in women | | | | therapy for menopause altogether. |
| taking combined estrogen/progestin HRT. | | | | |