Postmenopausal hormone therapy and breast cancer.
(1) According to the WHI trial, postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy exposes women to an additional risk of breast cancer of about 8 cases a year per 10 000 treated women; (2) In the United States, a comparison of the breast cancer incidence rates in 2001 and 2004 showed an overall annual decrease of 8.6%, attributable to the reduction in the use of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women. A similar phenomenon was observed in France, Germany and Canada; (3) In summary, if prescribers had waited for the results of the WHI trial, many cases of breast cancer would probably have been avoided.
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D004967:Estrogens; D011372:Progestins