title: Breast density in women with premature ovarian failure using hormone therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women with premature ovarian failure (POF) are treated with estrogen-progestin therapy; however, doubts remain regarding the effect of this therapy on the breasts of women with POF.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the breast density of women with POF using estrogen-progestin therapy compared with normally menstruating women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed in 31 women with POF using conjugated equine estrogens and medroxyprogesterone acetate and a control group of 31 normally menstruating women, paired by age. All underwent mammography, analyzed by digitization and Wolfe's classification, the latter defined as non-dense (N1 and P1) or dense (P2 and Dy). Parity, breastfeeding and body mass index were evaluated, as well as duration of hormone use and ovarian failure in the POF group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Digitization revealed no difference in mean breast density between the groups: 24.1+/-14.6% and 21.8+/-11.3% for POF and control groups, respectively. The Wolfe classification also failed to detect any significant difference between the groups, dense breasts being detected in 51.6% and 35.5% of cases in the POF and control groups, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Periods of hypoestrogenism followed by hormone therapy resulted in no changes in breast density in women with POF, compared with normally menstruating women of the same age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. crislag@sigmanet.com.br
authors.forename: Cristina Laguna
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Benetti-Pinto
authors.forename: Patrícia Magda
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Luís Alberto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Magna
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Petta
authors.forename: César Cabello
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D006728:Hormones; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate