What’s The Scoop With HRT and Breast Cancer
One day we’re all told that HRT can (hormone replacement therapy) increase your risk of breast cancer, and now we’re being told that HRT an actually reduce your risk of breast cancer In fact according to Daily Express it can reduce your risk by 42%. Wow!
It gets tad bit confusing doesn’t it? How do you know what to do or what’s right? HRT might not benefit everyone but for those with a BRCA1 gene mutation it certainly can.
The study wasn’t small – in fact, it included around 80,000 women with this gene. Generally these women wouldn’t be given HRT but now with the results of this study it seems that the initial data may have been wrong.
They are not prescribed HRT because of the perceived risk. But now it is claimed that the cancer-fighting effects of HRT are greatest for these women.
Women who carry this gene often opt to undergo a full mastectomy, which can trigger early menopause. Up until know they would have to endure because HRT was far too risky but this study could change the way these women are treated.
It’s the oestrogen in HRT drugs that was thought to fuel cancerous tumors in women with the BRCA1 gene. Oncologists should be letting their patients know that fit the gene profile that they do in fact have options they didn’t have just a short while ago.
Only 5% to 10% of the 46,000 newly diagnosed breast cancer cases will have the BRCA gene. This is welcome news for these women.
It’s sad that so many women may have been avoiding HRT because of the fear that it could cause breast cancer. Now with conflicting information, we’re once again left wondering what the correct answer is. It’s important that you discuss all your options with your oncologist and then you can make the right decision for you.
