CHICAGO (AP) – long-term use of any kind of hormone to relieve symptoms of menopause can increase the risk of breast cancer in women, said a new study.
Had been already established that pills combining estrogen and progestins – the most common type of hormone therapy – can increase the risk of breast cancer. However, women who lack of uterus may take estrogen, considered safe and even slightly beneficial in the possibility of cancer.
The new study indicates otherwise, where the pills are consumed by many years. In the research monitored the health of some 60,000 nurses and discovered that the use of any kind of hormones for 10 years or more slightly raises the possibility of developing breast cancer.
“There is a continuous increase in risk with longer durations in the use and there seems to be a point of leveling”, said the Director of the study, Dr. Wendy Chen, of Brigham and Women ' s Hospital Boston.
Side effects of hormone therapy has been, in the best of cases, confusing, and the absolute risk of developing breast cancer in a woman to take hormone pills it is small. Doctors believe that women should use the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time.
“It is difficult to be surprised at the fact that if you are still taking afternoon or early they raise the risk,” said Dr. Robert Clarke, of the Georgetown University Lombardi Cancer Center.
The study was analyzed on Sunday at a Conference of Oncology in Chicago.
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In internet:
Cancer Conference: http://www.aacr.org
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Marilynn Marchione is on Twitter as: http://twitter.com/MMarchioneAP
