“The level of increased breast cancer risk
with MHT use varies,
according to which data is analysed”.1
Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Breast Cancer
- Cancer of the Breast
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Therapy (HT)
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
Different Differences
What is it important to understand about hormone therapy and breast cancer risk?
On page three Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) for the Management of Menopausal Symptoms: Position Statement – The Jean Hailes Position: JH Notes the Following Evidence – 6b) Breast Cancer dated 07 April 2020, the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:
- “The level of increased breast cancer risk with MHT use varies, according to which data is analysed. It is not possible to estimate an overall absolute risk of breast cancer by combining and examining all the available MHT research. Research studies may look at different types of MHT, different doses, different ages of women, different age of treatment initiation, different duration of use of MHT. All these factors may influence risk”.2
Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and… Meta-Analysis
What has feedback about Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of the Worldwide Epidemiological Evidence, published in the Lancet on 29 August 2019, included?
On page one in The International Menopause Society Comment on: “Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of the Worldwide Epidemiological Experience” the International Menopause Society (IMS) elaborate on:
- Much of the information regarding breast cancer risk and MHT reported in this paper is not new…
- It is important to note that, because of when the data included in this report was collected, most of the MHT regimes were different from those used today
- This paper provides an important public health message about obesity and breast cancer risk…”.3
What do the IMS recommend?
On page two in The International Menopause Society Comment on: “Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of the Worldwide Epidemiological Experience” the IMS explain:
Women enter menopause across a range of ages, with diverse symptoms and health risk profiles. The International Menopause Society advocates the comprehensive assessment of women, including attention to modifying risk factors for chronic disease such as being overweight or obese, the importance of which have been highlighted in this Lancet paper. The benefits and risks of MHT differ according to the timing of menopause such that individualisation of therapy is essential. As prescribing practices have changed significantly over the last decade, further research is needed to determine the impact of currently recommended regimens”.4
In Menopause Experts Dismiss Some Breast Cancer Claims In New Report the JH elaborate on:
Revised Global Consensus Statement
What are some points of consensus about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and breast cancer risk?
Some points of consensus in the Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section A: Benefit/Risk Profile of MHT – endorsed by seven menopause-related organizations – published online 20 June 2016, are:
- “The risk of breast cancer in women over 50 years of age associated with MHT is a complex issue with decreased risk reported from RCTs for estrogen alone (CE in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI)) in women with hysterectomy and a possible increased risk when combined with a progestin (medroxyprogesterone acetate in the WHI) in women without hysterectomy. The increased risk of breast cancer thus seems to be primarily, but not exclusively, associated with the use of a progestin with estrogen therapy in women without hysterectomy and may be related to the duration of use
- The risk of breast cancer attributable to MHT is rare. It equates to an incidence of <1.0 per 1000 women per year of use. This is similar or lower than the increased risk associated with common factors such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity and alcohol consumption. The risk may decrease after treatment is stopped, but data are inconsistent”.6
What is RCTs?
RCTs can be an abbreviation for Randomized Controlled Trials.
NICE Guideline
What do the (British) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines note about HRT and breast cancer risk?
In Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Benefits and Risks of HRT last updated 15 December 2019, the NICE note:
- Oestrogen only HRT causes little or no change in the risk of breast cancer
- HRT that contains oestrogen and progestogen may increase breast cancer risk. This risk may be higher if you take HRT for longer but falls again when you stop taking HRT”.7
Breast Cancer Risk
What else is known about HT and breast cancer risk?
In Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Breast Cancer & MHT the JH elaborate on:
In Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase Cancer Risk? Does HRT Increase the Risk of Breast Cancer the (United Kingdom) Cancer Research UK elaborate on:
The risk of breast cancer due to HRT can also vary from person to person. Things such as what age you are when you first start taking HRT, other medicines you may be taking, and your general health can impact the risk.
People who begin HRT before or soon after the menopause may have a bigger risk than those who start HRT later”.9
Uterus
If a woman has a uterus and chooses to use estrogen plus progestogen therapy, what is her breast cancer risk?
On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks published in June 2017, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) explain:
No Uterus
If a woman does not have a uterus and chooses to use estrogen therapy, what is her breast cancer risk?
On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks published in June 2017, the NAMS note:
Risk Comparison
What puts a woman at a higher risk of developing breast cancer than taking HRT?
In Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Breast Cancer & MHT: Chance of Developing Breast Cancer In A Given Year the JH elaborate on:
- Having more than two standard alcoholic drinks per day
- Being overweight or obese
- Having your first child over the age of 35
- Having your menopause in your late 50s
This risk should also be seen within the context of the benefits of MHT; taking MHT can significantly improve a woman’s quality of life and reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, diabetes, colon cancer and possibly heart disease”.12
In Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase Cancer Risk? Should I Take HRT? Cancer Research UK note:
Breast Cancer Screening
If a woman chooses to use HT, what is it important to note about breast cancer screening?
In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Risks – Breast Cancer the (United Kingdom) NHS explain:
Breast Cancer Survivors
Can breast cancer survivors use HT?
One of the points of consensus in the Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section B: General Principles Governing the Use of MHT is:
- “Current safety data do not support the use of systemic MHT in breast cancer survivors, although discussions, in selected women and in conjunction with each woman’s oncologist, may occur for compelling reasons after nonhormonal or complementary options have been unsuccessful”.15
In Making Decisions About Hormone Replacement Therapy dated 08 February 2022, the (United States) Breastcancer.org elaborate on:
Health Care Provider
If I choose to use HT what is my breast cancer risk?
Different women who choose to use HT can have different breast cancer risk. It may therefore be in your best interest to also choose to talk to your health care provider about this.
One of the points of consensus in the Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section B: General Principles Governing the Use of MHT is:
- “The option of MHT is an individual decision in terms of quality of life and health priorities as well as personal risk factors such as age, time since menopause and the risk of VTE, stroke, ischemic heart disease and breast cancer. MHT should not be recommended without a clear indication for its use”.17
The (United States) Mayo Clinic also note:
- “See your doctor regularly to ensure that the benefits of hormone therapy continue to outweigh the risks, and for cancer screenings such as mammograms and pelvic exams”.18
The JH note:
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics related to Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
Where may I find Links related to Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta Analysis of the Worldwide Epidemiological Evidence, published in the Lancet on 29 August 2019?
Your Country may have Links similar to:
Links
This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.- BMJ Editorial: HRT and Breast Cancer Risk: We Must Prevent Another Setback In Women’s Health
- BMS, IMS, EMAS, RCOG and AMS Joint Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk In Response To EMA Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee Recommendations In May 2020
- BMS Response To Lancet Paper on the Link Between Different Forms of HRT and Breast Cancer Incidence
- BMS Response To MHRA Recommendations
- Experts Debate New Analysis Concerning Breast Cancer Risk With Menopausal HT
- Experts Rip Into HRT-Cancer Study: From the Medical Republic – 9 September 2019
- Joint RCOG & BMS Statement In Response To the Lancet Study on HRT Use and Breast Cancer Risk
- MHT and Breast Cancer Risk
- Making Sense of Menopausal Hormone Therapy Means Understanding the Benefits As Well As the Risks
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy Regimens Have Opposite Lasting Effects on Breast Cancer Incidence
- Menopause Experts Dismiss Some Breast Cancer Claims In New Report
- Menopause Matters
- Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Benefits and Risks of HRT – Breast Cancer [NICE Guideline]
- Response From MHRA/FOI
- Risks and Benefits of MHT/HRT
- The Breast Cancer and MHT Controversy [Video]
- The International Menopause Society Comment on: “Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of the Worldwide Epidemiological Experience”
- Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta Analysis of the Worldwide Epidemiological Evidence
- WHI Randomised Study Long Term Follow Up Results – December 2019: HRT and Breast Cancer
- We Don’t Know Menopausal Hormone Therapy Causes Breast Cancer, But the Evidence Continues To Suggest A Link
- Women’s Wellness: Does Menopausal Hormone Therapy Increase Risk of Breast Cancer?
Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer?
Your Country may have Links similar to:
Links
This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.- 20 Years of Data Lead To Changes In Perceptions, Usage of Menopausal HT
- 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 2. Myth – Breast Cancer Is the Most Common Cause of Death In Postmenopausal Women
- 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 3. Misunderstanding – One-Quarter of Women Who Take MHT Get Breast Cancer
- 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 6. Myth – Complementary Medicines and Therapies Are As Effective As MHT and Safer
- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- Association of Menopausal Hormone Therapy With Breast Cancer Incidence and Mortality During Long-Term Follow-Up of the Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Clinical Trials
- BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
- Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer Risk Associated With HRT Increases With Longer Use, Finds Study
- Breast Cancer: Risk Factors
- Breastcancer.org
- Breastcancernow.org
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
- Combined Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
- Complementary Medicine Options for Menopausal Symptoms
- Complementary and Alternative Therapies Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- Complementary and Herbal Therapies for Hot Flushes
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- EMAS Menopause Essentials
- EMAS Replay: Risk Assessment for MHT – When, To Whom, Which, and How Long? [Multiply Languages]
- EMAS Replay: The Relevance of Estrogen and Progestogen Choice for Breast Safety During MHT [Multiply Languages]
- Early Menopause: Women’s Experiences – Resources and Information: Quick Links – 1. Question Prompt List
- Early Menopause: Women’s Experiences – Women’s Profiles
- Fast Facts: HRT and Breast Cancer Risk
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- HRT and Breast Cancer Statement In Response To EMA Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee Recommendations In May 2020
- HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- HRT: Benefits and Risks
- HRT: The History
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Risks
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Types
- Hot Flashes: Manage Without Medication?
- Jean Hailes MHT Position Statement
- MHT Still Maligned & Misunderstood: Expert
- MHT and Breast Cancer Risk
- MHT and Breast Cancer – Risk Even Lower, Study Reports
- Making Decisions About Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Making Sense of Menopausal Hormone Therapy Means Understanding the Benefits As Well As the Risks
- Managing Menopausal Symptoms—Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Not the Only Option!
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) for the Management of Menopausal Symptoms: Position Statement
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy Regimens Have Opposite Lasting Effects on Breast Cancer Incidence
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individualization Is the Key To Safety
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Cancer
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Long-Term Breast Cancer Risk: Further Data From the Women’s Health Initiative Trials
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Risk of Breast Cancer
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause Experts Dismiss Some Breast Cancer Claims In New Report
- Menopause Hormone Therapy: Follow-Up Appointments?
- Menopause Hormone Therapy: Who Shouldn’t Take It?
- Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Benefits & Risks of MHT
- Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Breast Cancer & MHT
- Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Risks of MHT?
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
- Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
- Menopause: Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HRT) Safe? [Multiply Languages] [Video]
- Menopause: Medicines To Help You
- Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
- Menopause: Non-Hormonal Treatment & Relief for Hot Flashes
- Menopause: What Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HRT)? [Multiply Languages] [Video]
- NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Cancer In-Depth
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth
- New Study Provides Clearer Picture on Breast Cancer Risk and HRT Use
- Oestrogen Only Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- Research Shows Some Types of HRT Are Linked To Lower Risks of Breast Cancer
- Research on Hormone Replacement Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk
- Risk of Breast Cancer With HRT Depends on Therapy Type and Duration
- Risks and Benefits of MHT
- The IMS Has Released A Statement: Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Risk of Breast Cancer
- The International Menopause Society Comment on: “Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of the Worldwide Epidemiological Experience”
- The Menopause: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?]
- Types of Hormone Therapy
- Understanding Breast Cancer Risk
- Understanding Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Understanding the Risks of Breast Cancer
- Using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)
- Video Series-2021: Treatment Options for Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Issues
- Video Series-2021: What Women Need to Know About Hormone Therapies
- Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
- Video Series-2022: Understanding Screening Guidelines for Breast Cancer and the Importance of Identifying Risk Factors
- Videos and Podcasts: Interviews and Podcasts – Interviews: The Women’s Health Initiative – What Can We Believe?
- Webinars: Previous – Symposia: 2021 Vision: Practical Steps to Optimize Your Benefit-Risk. Discussions for A New Decade
- Webinars: Previous – Breast Cancer
- Webinars: Previous – The Early Menopausal Patient
- What Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) and Is It Safe?
- Women’s Wellness: Does Menopausal Hormone Therapy Increase Risk of Breast Cancer?
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) for the Management of Menopausal Symptoms: Position Statement – The Jean Hailes Position: JH Notes the Following Evidence – 6b) Breast Cancer. 07 April 2020:3. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. https://assets.jeanhailes.org.au/JH_position-statement_MHT.pdf Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) for the Management of Menopausal Symptoms: Position Statement – The Jean Hailes Position: JH Notes the Following Evidence – 6b) Breast Cancer. 07 April 2020:3. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. https://assets.jeanhailes.org.au/JH_position-statement_MHT.pdf Accessed: 06 March 2022
- The International Menopause Society Comment on: “Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of the Worldwide Epidemiological Experience”. 29 August 2019:1. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ims-press-statement-2019-08-29-english.pdf Accessed: 06 March 2022
- The International Menopause Society Comment on: “Type and Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of the Worldwide Epidemiological Experience”. 29 August 2019:2. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ims-press-statement-2019-08-29-english.pdf Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Menopause Experts Dismiss Some Breast Cancer Claims In New Report. 30 August 2019. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/news/menopause-experts-dismiss-breast-cancer-claims-of-new-report Accessed: 06 March 2022
- De Villiers, T. J., Hall, J. E., Pinkerton, J. V., Pérez, S. C., Rees, M., Yang, C. and Pierroz, D. D. Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section A: Benefit/Risk Profile of MHT. Climacteric, 2016;19:4:314 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/global-consensus-hrt-2016-06.pdf Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Menopause Diagnosis and Management: Information for the Public – Benefits and Risks of HRT: Breast Cancer. Published Date: 12 November 2015. Last Updated: 05 December 2019. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/ifp/chapter/Benefits-and-risks-of-HRT Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Breast Cancer & MHT. Last Updated: 13 July 2021 | Last Reviewed: 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase Cancer Risk? Does HRT Increase the Risk of Breast Cancer? Last Reviewed: 09 March 2021. Cancer Research UK https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/hormones-and-cancer/does-hormone-replacement-therapy-increase-cancer-risk#breast Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks. 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/for-women/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2017.pdf Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks. 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/for-women/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2017.pdf Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Breast Cancer & MHT: Chance of Developing Breast Cancer In A Given Year. Last Updated: 13 July 2021 | Last Reviewed: 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase Cancer Risk? Should I Take HRT? Last Reviewed: 09 March 2021. Research UK https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/hormones-and-cancer/does-hormone-replacement-therapy-increase-cancer-risk#breast Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Risks – Breast Cancer. Page Last Reviewed: 09 September 2019. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/risks/#breast-cancer Accessed: 06 March 2022
- De Villiers, T. J., Hall, J. E., Pinkerton, J. V., Pérez, S. C., Rees, M., Yang, C. and Pierroz, D. D. Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section B: General Principles Governing the Use of MHT. Climacteric, 2016;19:4:314 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/global-consensus-hrt-2016-06.pdf Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Making Decisions About Hormone Replacement Therapy. Last Updated: 08 February 2022. Breastcancer.org https://www.breastcancer.org/tips/menopausal/hrt/decisions Accessed: 06 March 2022
- De Villiers, T. J., Hall, J. E., Pinkerton, J. V., Pérez, S. C., Rees, M., Yang, C. and Pierroz, D. D. Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section B: General Principles Governing the Use of MHT. Climacteric, 2016;19:4:314 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/global-consensus-hrt-2016-06.pdf Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Menopause Hormone Therapy and Your Heart: How To Limit the Risks. 20 May 2021. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/in-depth/hormone-replacement-therapy/art-20047550 Accessed: 06 March 2022
- Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Breast Cancer & MHT. Last Updated: 13 July 2021 | Last Reviewed: 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 06 March 2022