The overall increased risk of serious adverse effects, such as breast cancer, stroke and pulmonary embolism, with long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT). There isn't enough research yet on the cancer risk associated with hormone therapies that are used in this way. According to a review of major trials published last week, the overall increased risk of serious adverse effects, such as breast cancer, stroke and pulmonary embolism, with long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) outweighs the potential benefits in preventing diseases.
Hormone therapy
(HT) is a broader term, meaning that it can be applied to any type of treatment involving hormones.Compound hormones aren't well studied, and healthcare providers aren't sure about their long-term effects. This is mainly because estrogen taken alone has fewer long-term risks than hormone therapy, which uses a combination of estrogen and progesterone. Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of HRT, the different forms of HRT, and alternative options. Because early estrogen loss increases the risks of many conditions, including cardiovascular disease, people who lose estrogen before age 40 are at risk of heart disease if they don't use hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The Lancet asked researchers at the Cancer Research UK epidemiology unit in Oxford to review all long-term HRT trials, after the early completion of part of the trial of the women's health initiative showed an increased risk of cardiovascular events. This is a complex issue because the risk of heart disease depends on many factors, not just whether you take hormones. You should discuss the risks and benefits of hormone therapy with your provider to determine if it's right for you. Combined hormone therapy may increase the risk of breast cancer, but most studies show that the increase is small (less than 1 in 1000).HRT should be an individualized treatment that your provider evaluates frequently to ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks.
