Hormone Therapy and Cancer

“Cancer risk from HRT is small and depends on many
different things. This includes the type of HRT used,
how long someone takes it for, their age, and…”.1

Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy and Cancer Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Bowel/Colon/Rectum Cancer
  • Breast Cancer
  • Cancer
  • Cervical Cancer/Cancer of the Cervix
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Hormone Therapy (HT)
  • Lung Cancer
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  • Ovarian Cancer/Cancer of the Ovary
  • Uterine/Womb/Endometrial Cancer

Terminology

What can it be important to be clear about with hormone therapy (HT),  hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and cancer information?

It can be important to be clear about the type of HT such as estrogen therapy (ET) or estrogen plus progestogen therapy (EPT).

What can it also be important to be clear about with HT, HRT or MHT and cancer information?

It can also be important to be clear about the type of cancer (e.g. breast, ovarian or uterus/womb cancer).

Risk

What is cancer risk from HT?

In Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase the Risk of Cancer? Should I Take HRT? the (United Kingdom) Cancer Research UK elaborate on:

“Cancer risk from HRT is small and depends on many different things. This includes the type of HRT used, how long someone takes it for, their age, and general health. The benefits of taking HRT will be different for each person too. Cancer risk is only part of the decision on whether to take HRT. Your doctor can help you make an informed choice on what is right for you”.2

Who is a GP?

Dots and/or DotC (Depending on the Country) a GP may be a registered general practitioner, a medical practitioner, a medical doctor or a doctor.

Cancer Risk Reduction

How can the risk of cancer be reduced?

In Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase the Risk of Cancer? Should I Take HRT? Cancer Research UK also note:

“Eating a healthy, balanced diet and being active may help with menopause symptoms. This can also help reduce your risk of cancer. Other things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer include:

  • Stopping smoking
  • Keeping a healthy weight
  • Drinking less alcohol”.3

Risks and Benefits

Is HT effective for the treatment of menopausal symptoms?

In Risks and Benefits of MHT: Key Points the Australasian Menopause Society elaborate on:

  • “For the majority of symptomatic women, the benefits of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) outweigh the risks”.4

Breast Cancer RiskHormone Therapy and Cancer RiskHormone Therapy and Cancer Risk

Can taking HT increase breast cancer risk?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks, published July 2022, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) note:

“Hormone therapy (combined estrogen and progestogen) might slightly increase your risk of breast cancer if used for more than 4 to 5 years. Using estrogen alone (for women without a uterus) does not increase breast cancer risk at 7 years but may increase risk if used for a longer time”.5

On page two and three in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause, first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:

“Current evidence suggests that oestrogen alone HRT is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer than combined HRT. Breast cancer risk is duration dependent and may vary with the type of progestogen used. The risk of breast cancer should be considered in the context of the overall benefits and risks associated with HRT intake”.6

Ovarian Cancer Risk

Can taking HT increase ovarian cancer risk?

On page two in HRT Benefits and Risks, published November 2020, the (British) Women’s Health Concern note:

“Recent evidence from the Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors demonstrated that there may be a slight increased risk of some types of ovarian cancer associated with HRT use but this is small and equates to around 1 extra case of ovarian cancer per 1000 HRT users”.7

Cancer of the Uterus

Can taking HT increase cancer of the uterus risk?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks, published July 2022, the NAM explain:

“If you have a uterus and take estrogen with progestogen, there is no increased risk of cancer of the uterus”.8

History of Cancer

Can HT be taken by those with a history of cancer?

In Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. Who should not use hormone therapy? the NAMS note:

“A. Hormone therapy is not a good choice for every woman. For some, the risks outweigh the benefits, so careful consideration with a healthcare provider is advised. In general, women who have breast cancer, uterine cancer, unexplained uterine bleeding, liver disease, a history of blood clots, and cardiovascular disease should not use hormone therapy”.9

History of Breast Cancer

Can HT be taken by those with a history of breast cancer?

In Using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy): Hormone Replacement Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk , last updated on 07 January 2024, Breastcancer.org elaborate on:

“HRT also can increase your risk of the cancer coming back (recurrence) if you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past. Because of this risk, doctors usually recommend that women with a history of breast cancer should not take types of HRT that affect the entire body (called systemic HRT)”.10

On page three in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause, first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:

“A history of breast cancer should be considered a contraindication to systemic HRT. The risk of breast cancer recurrence with HRT is higher in women with oestrogen receptor positive cancer, but women with oestrogen receptor negative breast cancer are also considered to have an increased risk of recurrence with HRT. HRT may, in exceptional cases, be offered to women with breast cancer with severe menopausal symptoms if lifestyle modifications and non-hormonal treatment options are not effective. This should be done after discussion with the woman, her menopause specialist and her breast/oncology team”.11

Hormone Therapy Alternatives

What are some HT alternatives?

In Management of Menopausal Symptoms: A Review, published 07 March 2023, the authors note:

“For women who are not candidates for hormonal treatments, nonhormonal approaches such as citalopram, desvenlafaxine, escitalopram, gabapentin, paroxetine, and venlafaxine are available and are associated with a reduction in frequency of vasomotor symptoms by approximately 40% to 65%. Low-dose vaginal estrogen is associated with subjective improvement in GSM symptom severity by approximately 60% to 80%, with improvement in severity by 40% to 80% for vaginal prasterone, and with improvement in severity by 30% to 50% for oral ospemifene”.12

Health Care Provider

If I choose to use HT what are my risks of cancer?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use the NAMS explain:


Hormone Therapy and Cancer
“Every woman is different, and you will decide about whether to use HT based on the severity of your symptoms, your personal and family health history, and your own beliefs about menopause treatments. Your healthcare professional will be able to help you with your decision”.13

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hormone Therapy and Cancer?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy and 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.

New or Updated

  1. A Systematic Review and Critical Appraisal of Menopause Guidelines
  2. Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  3. BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
  4. BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
  5. BMS TV: HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits
  6. BMS TV: HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer
  7. BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  8. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  9. Breast Cancer At the Menopause
  10. Breast Cancer Risk Factors
  11. Breastcancer.org
  12. Cancer Diagnosis: 11 Tips for Coping
  13. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  14. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  15. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  16. Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase Cancer Risk?
  17. Dr Louise Newson: The Truth About the Menopause & HRT
  18. Endometrial Safety of Low-Dose Vaginal Estrogens
  19. Estrogen Dependent Cancers
  20. FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause
  21. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  22. Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  23. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  24. Gynecological Cancer At the Menopause
  25. HRT
  26. HRT & Menopause Extra
  27. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  28. HRT: Benefits and Risks
  29. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  30. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) With Dr Nicky Peel & Prof. David Armstrong
  31. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  32. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen: Common Questions About Vaginal Oestrogen
  33. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  34. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
  35. How To Prevent Cancer: 6 Ways To Lower Your Risk
  36. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?]
  37. Management of Menopausal Symptoms: A Review
  38. Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  39. Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
  40. Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  41. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk
  42. Menopause
  43. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Breast Cancer & MHT
  44. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Benefits of MHT
  45. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Risks of MHT?
  46. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  47. Menopause Mindfulness: Understanding the Many Paths To Menopause
  48. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  49. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
  50. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
  51. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
  52. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
  53. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  54. Menopause Treatment
  55. Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
  56. Menopause and HRT
  57. Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
  58. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
  59. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  60. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
  61. Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
  62. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Cancer and Complementary Health Approaches: What You Need To Know
  63. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Dietary and Herbal Supplements
  64. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
  65. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  66. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Know the Science: How Medications and Supplements Can Interact
  67. Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
  68. Natural Therapies & Supplements
  69. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  70. Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  71. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  72. Office of Dietary Supplements: Black Cohosh
  73. Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets
  74. Optimising Health After Early Menopause
  75. Risks and Benefits of MHT
  76. Stopping Hormone Replacement Therapy: “Cold Turkey” Menopause
  77. The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
  78. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  79. The Lancet: Series From the Lancet Journal – Menopause 2024
  80. The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
  81. The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Trials of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer: Findings In Context
  82. Therapy for the Effects of Menopause
  83. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  84. Types of Hormone Therapy
  85. Ultra-Low Dose Menopausal Hormone Therapy [Multiply Languages]
  86. Using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)
  87. Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
  88. Vaginal Dryness
  89. Vaginal Dryness After Menopause: How To Treat It?
  90. Vaginal Oestrogen Is A Treatment on the Rise, But Is It Safe?
  91. Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
  92. Video Series-2023: Lifestyle Modification and Prevention of Breast Cancer
  93. Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  94. Video Series-2023: New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  95. Video Series-2023: Premature and Early Menopause
  96. Video Series-2024: Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  97. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
  98. Videos and Podcasts: Video – Interviews: How Do I Deal With the Menopause After A Diagnosis of Gynaecological Cancer
  99. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: The Women’s Health Initiative – What Can We Believe?
  100. Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources at:

Sources

  1. Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase the Risk of Cancer? Should I Take HRT? Last Reviewed: 22 March 2023. Cancer Research UK. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/hormones-and-cancer/does-hormone-replacement-therapy-increase-cancer-risk#breast Accessed: 28 March 2024
  2. Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase the Risk of Cancer? Should I Take HRT? Last Reviewed: 22 March 2023. Cancer Research UK. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/hormones-and-cancer/does-hormone-replacement-therapy-increase-cancer-risk#breast Accessed: 28 March 2024
  3. Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase the Risk of Cancer? Should I Take HRT? Last Reviewed: 22 March 2023. Cancer Research UK. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/hormones-and-cancer/does-hormone-replacement-therapy-increase-cancer-risk#breast Accessed: 28 March 2024
  4. Risks and Benefits of MHT: Key Points. Content Updated January 2021. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/799-risks-and-benefits-of-mht-hrt Accessed: 28 March 2024
  5. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks. July 2022: 1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 28 March 2024
  6. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022:2-3. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 28 March 2024
  7. HRT Benefits and Risks. Updated: November 2020:2. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/hrt-know-benefits-risks/ Accessed: 28 March 2024
  8. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks. July 2022: 1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 28 March 2024
  9. Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. Who should not use hormone therapy? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-hormone-therapy-for-menopause-symptoms Accessed: 28 March 2024
  10. Using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy): Hormone Replacement Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk . Last Updated: 07 January 2024. Breastcancer.org https://www.breastcancer.org/risk/risk-factors/using-hormone-replacement-therapy Accessed: 28 March 2024
  11. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022:2-3. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 28 March 2024
  12. Crandall, C. J., Mehta, J. M., Manson, J. E. Management of Menopausal Symptoms: A Review. 07 March 2023 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36749328/ Accessed: 28 March 2024
  13. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use. July 2022: 1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 28 March 2024
Topic Last Updated: 28 March 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 28 March 2024

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