STUDY: ESTROGEN-ONLY THERAPY MAY RAISE OVARIAN CANCER RISK

Reuters News Service

CHICAGO -- In another piece of the increasingly complex hormone-replacement health puzzle, researchers said Tuesday that women given estrogen-only treatment after menopause ran a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

The report followed two recent studies that found estrogen in combination with progestin -- a slightly less common replacement therapy than estrogen-only -- doesn't prevent heart disease and may raise the risk of breast cancer, stroke and blood clots.

The combination estrogen/progestin product is sold under the brand name Prempro by U.S. drug firm Wyeth, which also markets Premarin, the world's most popular stand-alone estrogen treatment.

Hormone replacement therapy of both types is used by about 13.5 million women in the United States alone, nearly 8 million estrogen-only and up to 6 million in combination with progestin.

James Lacey of the National Cancer Institute led the study that involved more than 44,000 post-menopausal women whose health histories were tracked for about 20 years. It found that compared to similar women not on hormone replacement therapy, those taking estrogen only had a 60 percent greater risk of developing ovarian cancer.

To see if you have a Prempro related case, click here

HELPFUL LINKS: