“Ovarian cancer is a rare condition but all the risks and benefits of hormone therapy need to be carefully considered when treating women at menopause”.1
Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy and Ovarian Cancer Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Cancer of the Ovary
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Therapy (HT)
- Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy (MHT)
- Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian Cancer Risk
Does the use of hormone therapy (HT) increase the risk of ovarian cancer?
On page 783 in The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Ovarian Cancer – Key Points published July 2022 and “endorsed by more than 20 well-respected international organizations”, two of the key points are:
- “Current and recent use of hormone therapy is associated with a small but statistically significant risk of ovarian cancer in observational studies, principally for serous type, although there was no increase in ovarian cancer risk in women randomized to EPT in the WHI. (Level II)
- In women with a history of ovarian cancer, benefits of hormone therapy use generally outweighs risks, especially with bothersome VMS or early menopause; use of hormone therapy is not advised in women with hormone-dependent ovarian cancers, including granulosa-cell tumors and low-grade serous carcinoma. (Level II)”.2
What is EPT?
EPT can be an abbreviation for Estrogen Plus Progestogen Therapy.
What is WHI?
WHI can be an abbreviation for the Women’s Health Initiative.
What is VMS?
VMS can be an abbreviation for Vasomotor Symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats.
What is Level II?
Level II is “Based on limited or inconsistent scientific evidence”.
Combined HRT
Does combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increase the risk of ovarian cancer?
In Does Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Increase the Risk of Cancer? Does Combined HRT Increase the Risk of Cancer? last reviewed 22 March 2023, the (United Kingdom) Cancer Research UK note:
- “Ovarian cancer: combined HRT slightly increases the risk of ovarian cancer. When HRT is stopped, the increased risk starts to go back down”.3
Oestrogen-Only HRT
Does oestrogen-only HRT increase the risk of ovarian cancer?
In Does Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Increase the Risk of Cancer? Does Oestrogen-Only HRT Increase the Risk of Cancer? Cancer Research UK note:
- “Ovarian cancer: Oestrogen-only HRT slightly increases the risk of ovarian cancer. When HRT is stopped, the increased risk starts to go back down”.4
2015 Meta-Analysis
What was the Collaborative Group on Epidemiological Studies of Ovarian Cancer’s Interpretation in their Meta-Analysis?
In Menopausal Hormone Use and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of 52 Epidemiological Studies – Summary (Meta-Analysis) published 12 February 2015, the Collaborative Group on Epidemiological Studies of Ovarian Cancer’s Interpretation was:

What did the Australasian Menopause Society (AMS) note about the Meta-Analysis?
In Short-Term Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Comment From AMS the AMS President’s comments note:
Women should not stop hormone therapy based on this study but if they are concerned they should discuss the findings with their doctor”.6
Health Care Provider
If I choose to use hormone therapy (HT) what is my risk of ovarian cancer?
Different women who choose to use HT can have different risks of ovarian cancer. It may therefore be in your best interest to also choose to ask your health care provider about this.
On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use, published 2022, the North American Menopause Society explain:
On page three of Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 1. Who Is MHT For? Women With Existing Medical Conditions the International Menopause Society’s (IMS) Leaflet for Women for World Menopause Day 2024, the IMS include:
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hormone Therapy and Ovarian Cancer?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
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Links
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- Ovarian Cancer Symptoms & Risks
- Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies [18 October 2024]
- Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies [18 October 2024]
- World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women [Multiply Languages]
- World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women
- World Ovarian Cancer Day May 8, 2025
- 8 Myths and Truths About Menopausal Hot Flashes
- ACOG Explains: Managing Menopause Symptoms [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists]
- ASCO: Conjugated Equine Estrogen May Increase Risk for Ovarian Cancer
- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask Early Menopause]
- BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- Does Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Increase the Risk of Cancer?
- Does Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Increase the Risk of Cancer? Does Combined HRT Increase the Risk of Cancer? Ovarian Cancer
- Does Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Increase the Risk of Cancer? Does Oestrogen-Only HRT Increase the Risk of Cancer? Ovarian Cancer
- EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: Impact of Estrogen Deficiency on Quality of Life In Asia and the Role of Continuous Combined MHT In Treatment (EN)
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Member [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- Five Facts
- Foundationforwomenscancer.org [Foundation for Women’s Cancer, United States]
- HRT
- HRT Questions Answered
- HRT and Ovarian Cancer: Is There A Link?
- HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
- HRT: Benefits and Risks – What You Should Know
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- Hot Flushes, Night Sweats, Brain Fog? Here’s What We Know About Phytoestrogens for Menopausal Symptoms
- How To Find Relief for Hot Flashes At Night
- 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
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?] [Other Languages and Formats]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Cancer
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Venous Thromboembolism
- Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy and the Risk of Ovarian Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
- Menopausal Hormone Use and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of 52 Epidemiological Studies
- Menopause
- Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
- Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
- Menopause Treatment
- Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
- Menopause and Natural Therapies
- Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
- Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
- Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] [07 November 2024]
- Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy [2024]
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
- Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
- Natural Therapies
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Navigating Menopause: Honest Answers To All Your Questions [+ Video: What To Expect in Menopause]
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- OCCAM Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine [National Cancer Institute, United States]
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer Risk Factors
- Ovarian Cancer Risk and Causes of Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer Symptoms & Risks
- Ovarian Cancer/Primary Peritoneal
- Ovarian Cancer: Reducing Risk of Ovarian Cancer
- Risks and Causes
- The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
- The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Tips for Tracking Your Bleeding
- Types of Hormone Therapy
- Use of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Ovarian Cancer Risk In A French Cohort Study
- Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
- Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
- Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – How Do I Deal With the Menopause After A Diagnosis of Gynaecological Cancer
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Abnormal Bleeding
- Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
- Webinars: Previous – Non-Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
- What Is Ovarian Cancer?
- World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women [Multiply Languages]
- World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women
- World Ovarian Cancer Day May 8, 2025
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Short-Term Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Comment From AMS. Content Updated: 17 February 2015. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/news/729-short-term-use-of-hrt-and-ovarian-cancer-risk Accessed: 30 December 2024
- The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Ovarian Cancer – Key Points. July 2022:783. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/nams-2022-hormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Accessed: 30 December 2024
- Does Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Increase the Risk of Cancer? Does Combined HRT Increase the Risk of Cancer? 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 Accessed: 30 December 2024
- Does Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Increase the Risk of Cancer? Does Combined HRT Increase the Risk of Cancer? 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 Accessed: 30 December 2024
- Collaborative Group on Epidemiological Studies of Ovarian Cancer. Menopausal Hormone Use and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Individual Participant Meta-Analysis of 52 Epidemiological Studies – Summary: Interpretation. 12 February 2015 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)61687-1/fulltext Accessed: 30 December 2024
- Short-Term Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Comment From AMS. Content Updated: 17 February 2015. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/news/729-short-term-use-of-hrt-and-ovarian-cancer-risk Accessed: 30 December 2024
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use. 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 30 December 2024
- Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 1. Who Is MHT For? Women With Existing Medical Conditions. 2024:3. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf Accessed: 30 December 2024