title: [Hormone replacement therapy and the risk of developing breast cancer].
abstract: The Million Women Study (MWS) and the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Study reveal an increased breast cancer risk and a higher relative risk for cardiovascular diseases in women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in comparison with control groups. For this reason, the WHI study was terminated prematurely. From the point of view of the internist, it would appear that, on the basis of the results of these studies, prophylactic treatment with estrogens and progesterone is no longer indicated. It must, however, be noted that numerous aspects are still unclear. This therefore means that in patients with severe menopausal symptoms giving rise to a high level of distress, HRT continues to be justified over the short term after a current cardiovascular risk or relevant tumor disease has been excluded.
authors.affiliation: Biochemie-Zentrum der Universität Heidelberg. wolfgang.merz@urz.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Merz
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D002979:Climacteric / Q000187:drug effects*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate