Re: Estrogen and Breast CA Risk

[Guest guest]

Thanks. So when do you think the RCTs for oral contraceptives will begin? Sent via BlackBerry by AT&TSender: nfpprofessionals Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2012 16:40:26 +0000To: nfpprofessionals <nfpprofessionals >ReplyTo: nfpprofessionals Subject: Estrogen and Breast CA Risk This study was reported today: J. FehringProfessorMarquette University Long-Term Estrogen Therapy Does Up Breast Cancer Risk: StudyData from government-funded study contradicts earlier findings on menopause treatment By MannHealthDay Reporter SUNDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- Several weeks after a study suggested that women who take estrogen-only hormone replacement to treat menopause symptoms may be at lower risk for developing breast cancer, another, much-larger study findsthat when used for longer than 10 years, estrogen-only regimens actually raise a woman's long-term risk for breast cancer. The new study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, whereas the previous one was partially funded by drug manufacturer Wyeth. Researchers evaluated follow-up data from the Nurse's Health Study collected from 1980 through 2008. The women in the study were 30 to 55 years old in 1976. Overall, the risk for breast cancer was 88 percent higher among women who had takenestrogen plus progesterone for 10 to 14.9 years, compared to women who did not. This risk more than doubled for women who used estrogen-plus-progesterone therapy for 15 to 19.9 years. Women who used estrogen-only therapy after menopause had 22 percent increased risk for breast cancer if they used it for 10 to 14.9 years, and 43 percent greater risk if they used it longer than 15 years. There was no increased risk seen among women who took estrogen for fewer than 10 years. Women did not have an increased risk of dying from breast cancer, the study showed. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fell from grace after the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study was stopped early in 2002 because HRT was shown to increase the risk of strokes and breast and ovarian cancer. Some subtleties have emergedsince that time. For example, short-term use of HRT is now deemed fairly safe for some women who have severe menopausal symptoms. Estrogen-only therapy is reserved for women who have had a hysterectomy; women with an intact uterus who use HRT must take thehormone progestin (synthetic progesterone) with estrogen to prevent uterine cancer. " For combination therapy there is so much data about the dangers that we really tell people that if they must take it to treat symptoms, they should only do so for a year or two at most, " said study author Dr. Chen, an associate physicianat Brigham and Women's Hospital and an assistant professor in medicine at the Breast Cancer Treatment Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. " For estrogen alone, there is more safety data for someone who wants to take it for five or six years. " Chen is scheduled to present her findings at this week's annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Chicago. Her advice is for women to think about why they are taking supplemental hormones. " If it is for hot flashes, they don't last forever, " she said. If vaginal dryness is the issue, there are vaginal hormone preparations. " You are not goingto have the systemic effects that you will from talking a pill, " she said. Dr. Larry Norton, deputy physician-in-chief for breast cancer programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and medical director of the H. Lauder Breast Center, in New York City, does not recommend that women take estrogen aftermenopause. " The jury is still out on how safe estrogen alone is, but I am not recommending it, and the major reason why is because every drug I know that reduces the risk of breast cancer reduces estrogen, " he said. " Saying an estrogen is going tobe safe raises an important question mark in my mind, " Norton said. " Alternative treatments may help treat the symptoms and risks associated with menopause, so why take the chance? " Because the new study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

[Guest guest]

Ironically I was in a drugstore yesterday near the pharmacy when I overheard a woman ask if this "drug" was going to give her cancer.The pharmacist paused and said something about estrogen and then defaulted to "did you ask your physician?" She said..."yeah, the slight risk...." This woman obviously wanted to convince herself everything was fine. I wanted to say my mother got tubular breast cancer directly linked to HRT....but who am I?

[Guest guest]

THat is very interesting is it not? Why hasn't it happened/

Sincerely yours,

Dominic M. Pedulla MD, FACC, CNFPMC, ABVM, ACPh

Interventional Cardiologist, Endovascular Diplomate, Varicose Vein Specialist, Noncontraceptive Family Planning Consultant, Family Planning Researcher

Medical Director, The Oklahoma Vein and Endovascular Center (www.noveinok.com, veininfo@...)

Executive Director, The Edith Stein Foundation (www.theedithsteinfoundation.com)

(office)

(cell)

(FAX)

pedullad@...

Estrogen and Breast CA Risk

This study was reported today:

J. Fehring

Professor

Marquette University

Long-Term Estrogen Therapy Does Up Breast Cancer Risk: Study

Data from government-funded study contradicts earlier findings on menopause treatment

By Mann

HealthDay Reporter

SUNDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- Several weeks after a study suggested that women who take estrogen-only hormone replacement to treat menopause symptoms may be at lower risk for developing breast cancer, another, much-larger study finds

that when used for longer than 10 years, estrogen-only regimens actually raise a woman's long-term risk for breast cancer.

The new study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, whereas the previous one was partially funded by drug manufacturer Wyeth.

Researchers evaluated follow-up data from the Nurse's Health Study collected from 1980 through 2008. The women in the study were 30 to 55 years old in 1976. Overall, the risk for breast cancer was 88 percent higher among women who had taken

estrogen plus progesterone for 10 to 14.9 years, compared to women who did not. This risk more than doubled for women who used estrogen-plus-progesterone therapy for 15 to 19.9 years.

Women who used estrogen-only therapy after menopause had 22 percent increased risk for breast cancer if they used it for 10 to 14.9 years, and 43 percent greater risk if they used it longer than 15 years.

There was no increased risk seen among women who took estrogen for fewer than 10 years. Women did not have an increased risk of dying from breast cancer, the study showed.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fell from grace after the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study was stopped early in 2002 because HRT was shown to increase the risk of strokes and breast and ovarian cancer. Some subtleties have emerged

since that time. For example, short-term use of HRT is now deemed fairly safe for some women who have severe menopausal symptoms. Estrogen-only therapy is reserved for women who have had a hysterectomy; women with an intact uterus who use HRT must take the

hormone progestin (synthetic progesterone) with estrogen to prevent uterine cancer.

"For combination therapy there is so much data about the dangers that we really tell people that if they must take it to treat symptoms, they should only do so for a year or two at most," said study author Dr. Chen, an associate physician

at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an assistant professor in medicine at the Breast Cancer Treatment Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. "For estrogen alone, there is more safety data for someone who wants to take it for five or six years."

Chen is scheduled to present her findings at this week's annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Chicago.

Her advice is for women to think about why they are taking supplemental hormones. "If it is for hot flashes, they don't last forever," she said. If vaginal dryness is the issue, there are vaginal hormone preparations. "You are not going

to have the systemic effects that you will from talking a pill," she said.

Dr. Larry Norton, deputy physician-in-chief for breast cancer programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and medical director of the H. Lauder Breast Center, in New York City, does not recommend that women take estrogen after

menopause.

"The jury is still out on how safe estrogen alone is, but I am not recommending it, and the major reason why is because every drug I know that reduces the risk of breast cancer reduces estrogen," he said. "Saying an estrogen is going to

be safe raises an important question mark in my mind," Norton said. "Alternative treatments may help treat the symptoms and risks associated with menopause, so why take the chance?"

Because the new study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

[Guest guest]

Because most peer reviewed journals are controlled and funded by pharmaceutical companies and they would not want an article that would harm their profit margins.  They subsidize these journals and most of their contributors are “paid†in one way or another through funding for their research and articles.  Just see the ads in them.Les Ruppersberger, D.O. From: nfpprofessionals [mailto:nfpprofessionals ] On Behalf Of DominicSent: Saturday, April 07, 2012 12:02 PMTo: nfpprofessionals Subject: Re: Estrogen and Breast CA Risk THat is very interesting is it not? Why hasn't it happened/Sincerely yours, Dominic M. Pedulla MD, FACC, CNFPMC, ABVM, ACPhInterventional Cardiologist, Endovascular Diplomate, Varicose Vein Specialist, Noncontraceptive Family Planning Consultant, Family Planning ResearcherMedical Director, The Oklahoma Vein and Endovascular Center (www.noveinok.com, veininfo@...)Executive Director, The Edith Stein Foundation (www.theedithsteinfoundation.com) (office) (cell) (FAX)pedullad@... Estrogen and Breast CA Risk This study was reported today: J. FehringProfessorMarquette University Long-Term Estrogen Therapy Does Up Breast Cancer Risk: StudyData from government-funded study contradicts earlier findings on menopause treatment By MannHealthDay Reporter SUNDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- Several weeks after a study suggested that women who take estrogen-only hormone replacement to treat menopause symptoms may be at lower risk for developing breast cancer, another, much-larger study finds that when used for longer than 10 years, estrogen-only regimens actually raise a woman's long-term risk for breast cancer. The new study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, whereas the previous one was partially funded by drug manufacturer Wyeth. Researchers evaluated follow-up data from the Nurse's Health Study collected from 1980 through 2008. The women in the study were 30 to 55 years old in 1976. Overall, the risk for breast cancer was 88 percent higher among women who had taken estrogen plus progesterone for 10 to 14.9 years, compared to women who did not. This risk more than doubled for women who used estrogen-plus-progesterone therapy for 15 to 19.9 years. Women who used estrogen-only therapy after menopause had 22 percent increased risk for breast cancer if they used it for 10 to 14.9 years, and 43 percent greater risk if they used it longer than 15 years. There was no increased risk seen among women who took estrogen for fewer than 10 years. Women did not have an increased risk of dying from breast cancer, the study showed. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fell from grace after the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study was stopped early in 2002 because HRT was shown to increase the risk of strokes and breast and ovarian cancer. Some subtleties have emerged since that time. For example, short-term use of HRT is now deemed fairly safe for some women who have severe menopausal symptoms. Estrogen-only therapy is reserved for women who have had a hysterectomy; women with an intact uterus who use HRT must take the hormone progestin (synthetic progesterone) with estrogen to prevent uterine cancer. " For combination therapy there is so much data about the dangers that we really tell people that if they must take it to treat symptoms, they should only do so for a year or two at most, " said study author Dr. Chen, an associate physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an assistant professor in medicine at the Breast Cancer Treatment Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. " For estrogen alone, there is more safety data for someone who wants to take it for five or six years. " Chen is scheduled to present her findings at this week's annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Chicago. Her advice is for women to think about why they are taking supplemental hormones. " If it is for hot flashes, they don't last forever, " she said. If vaginal dryness is the issue, there are vaginal hormone preparations. " You are not going to have the systemic effects that you will from talking a pill, " she said. Dr. Larry Norton, deputy physician-in-chief for breast cancer programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and medical director of the H. Lauder Breast Center, in New York City, does not recommend that women take estrogen after menopause. " The jury is still out on how safe estrogen alone is, but I am not recommending it, and the major reason why is because every drug I know that reduces the risk of breast cancer reduces estrogen, " he said. " Saying an estrogen is going to be safe raises an important question mark in my mind, " Norton said. " Alternative treatments may help treat the symptoms and risks associated with menopause, so why take the chance? " Because the new study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

[Guest guest]

Lee I agree but has anyone ever done an exposé or investigation on that? Does anyone in the group know of any such work exposing this corrupting influence?Sent from my iPhone

Because most peer reviewed journals are controlled and funded by pharmaceutical companies and they would not want an article that would harm their profit margins. They subsidize these journals and most of their contributors are “paid†in one way or another through funding for their research and articles. Just see the ads in them.Les Ruppersberger, D.O. From: nfpprofessionals [mailto:nfpprofessionals ] On Behalf Of DominicSent: Saturday, April 07, 2012 12:02 PMTo: nfpprofessionals Subject: Re: Estrogen and Breast CA Risk THat is very interesting is it not? Why hasn't it happened/Sincerely yours, Dominic M. Pedulla MD, FACC, CNFPMC, ABVM, ACPhInterventional Cardiologist, Endovascular Diplomate, Varicose Vein Specialist, Noncontraceptive Family Planning Consultant, Family Planning ResearcherMedical Director, The Oklahoma Vein and Endovascular Center (www.noveinok.com, veininfo@...)Executive Director, The Edith Stein Foundation (www.theedithsteinfoundation.com) (office) (cell) (FAX)pedullad@... Estrogen and Breast CA Risk This study was reported today: J. FehringProfessorMarquette University Long-Term Estrogen Therapy Does Up Breast Cancer Risk: StudyData from government-funded study contradicts earlier findings on menopause treatment By MannHealthDay Reporter SUNDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- Several weeks after a study suggested that women who take estrogen-only hormone replacement to treat menopause symptoms may be at lower risk for developing breast cancer, another, much-larger study finds that when used for longer than 10 years, estrogen-only regimens actually raise a woman's long-term risk for breast cancer. The new study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, whereas the previous one was partially funded by drug manufacturer Wyeth. Researchers evaluated follow-up data from the Nurse's Health Study collected from 1980 through 2008. The women in the study were 30 to 55 years old in 1976. Overall, the risk for breast cancer was 88 percent higher among women who had taken estrogen plus progesterone for 10 to 14.9 years, compared to women who did not. This risk more than doubled for women who used estrogen-plus-progesterone therapy for 15 to 19.9 years. Women who used estrogen-only therapy after menopause had 22 percent increased risk for breast cancer if they used it for 10 to 14.9 years, and 43 percent greater risk if they used it longer than 15 years. There was no increased risk seen among women who took estrogen for fewer than 10 years. Women did not have an increased risk of dying from breast cancer, the study showed. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fell from grace after the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study was stopped early in 2002 because HRT was shown to increase the risk of strokes and breast and ovarian cancer. Some subtleties have emerged since that time. For example, short-term use of HRT is now deemed fairly safe for some women who have severe menopausal symptoms. Estrogen-only therapy is reserved for women who have had a hysterectomy; women with an intact uterus who use HRT must take the hormone progestin (synthetic progesterone) with estrogen to prevent uterine cancer. "For combination therapy there is so much data about the dangers that we really tell people that if they must take it to treat symptoms, they should only do so for a year or two at most," said study author Dr. Chen, an associate physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an assistant professor in medicine at the Breast Cancer Treatment Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. "For estrogen alone, there is more safety data for someone who wants to take it for five or six years." Chen is scheduled to present her findings at this week's annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Chicago. Her advice is for women to think about why they are taking supplemental hormones. "If it is for hot flashes, they don't last forever," she said. If vaginal dryness is the issue, there are vaginal hormone preparations. "You are not going to have the systemic effects that you will from talking a pill," she said. Dr. Larry Norton, deputy physician-in-chief for breast cancer programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and medical director of the H. Lauder Breast Center, in New York City, does not recommend that women take estrogen after menopause. "The jury is still out on how safe estrogen alone is, but I am not recommending it, and the major reason why is because every drug I know that reduces the risk of breast cancer reduces estrogen," he said. "Saying an estrogen is going to be safe raises an important question mark in my mind," Norton said. "Alternative treatments may help treat the symptoms and risks associated with menopause, so why take the chance?" Because the new study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

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[Guest guest]

Happy Easter everyone! Has anyone been in contact with the researchers at the center where they did the "triple negative" breast cancer study (Malone et al) i think? Perhaps they would have more insight into the politics which come into play with these types of studies. I will copy Dr. Kahlenborn, Dr. Lafranchi and Dr. Brind and see if they can give us any more insight into this situation. Blessings, Dr. Peck, MD, CCD, AAFP, Marquette NFP Instructor To: "nfpprofessionals " <nfpprofessionals > Sent: Sunday, April 8, 2012 2:03 PM Subject: Re: Estrogen and Breast CA Risk

Lee I agree but has anyone ever done an exposé or investigation on that? Does anyone in the group know of any such work exposing this corrupting influence?Sent from my iPhone

Because most peer reviewed journals are controlled and funded by pharmaceutical companies and they would not want an article that would harm their profit margins. They subsidize these journals and most of their contributors are “paid†in one way or another through funding for their research and articles. Just see the ads in them.Les Ruppersberger, D.O. From: nfpprofessionals [mailto:nfpprofessionals ] On Behalf Of DominicSent: Saturday, April 07, 2012 12:02 PMTo: nfpprofessionals Subject: Re: Estrogen and Breast CA Risk THat is very interesting is it not? Why hasn't it happened/Sincerely yours, Dominic M. Pedulla MD, FACC, CNFPMC, ABVM, ACPhInterventional Cardiologist, Endovascular Diplomate, Varicose Vein Specialist, Noncontraceptive Family Planning Consultant, Family Planning ResearcherMedical Director, The Oklahoma Vein and Endovascular Center (www.noveinok.com, veininfo@...)Executive Director, The Edith Stein Foundation (www.theedithsteinfoundation.com) (office) (cell) (FAX)pedullad@... Estrogen and Breast CA Risk This study was reported today: J. FehringProfessorMarquette University Long-Term Estrogen Therapy Does Up Breast Cancer Risk: StudyData from government-funded study contradicts earlier findings on menopause treatment By MannHealthDay Reporter SUNDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- Several weeks after a study suggested that women who take estrogen-only hormone replacement to treat menopause symptoms may be at lower risk for developing breast cancer, another, much-larger study finds that when used for longer than 10 years, estrogen-only regimens actually raise a woman's long-term risk for breast cancer. The new study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, whereas the previous one was partially funded by drug manufacturer Wyeth. Researchers evaluated follow-up data from the Nurse's Health Study collected from 1980 through 2008. The women in the study were 30 to 55 years old in 1976. Overall, the risk for breast cancer was 88 percent higher among women who had taken estrogen plus progesterone for 10 to 14.9 years, compared to women who did not. This risk more than doubled for women who used estrogen-plus-progesterone therapy for 15 to 19.9 years. Women who used estrogen-only therapy after menopause had 22 percent increased risk for breast cancer if they used it for 10 to 14.9 years, and 43 percent greater risk if they used it longer than 15 years. There was no increased risk seen among women who took estrogen for fewer than 10 years. Women did not have an increased risk of dying from breast cancer, the study showed. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fell from grace after the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study was stopped early in 2002 because HRT was shown to increase the risk of strokes and breast and ovarian cancer. Some subtleties have emerged since that time. For example, short-term use of HRT is now deemed fairly safe for some women who have severe menopausal symptoms. Estrogen-only therapy is reserved for women who have had a hysterectomy; women with an intact uterus who use HRT must take the hormone progestin (synthetic progesterone) with estrogen to prevent uterine cancer. "For combination therapy there is so much data about the dangers that we really tell people that if they must take it to treat symptoms, they should

only do so for a year or two at most," said study author Dr. Chen, an associate physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an assistant professor in medicine at the Breast Cancer Treatment Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. "For estrogen alone, there is more safety data for someone who wants to take it for five or six years." Chen is scheduled to present her findings at this week's annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Chicago. Her advice is for women to think about why they are

taking supplemental hormones. "If it is for hot flashes, they don't last forever," she said. If vaginal dryness is the issue, there are vaginal hormone preparations. "You are not going to have the systemic effects that you will from talking a pill," she said. Dr. Larry Norton, deputy physician-in-chief for breast cancer programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and medical director of the H. Lauder Breast Center, in New York City, does not recommend that women take estrogen after menopause. "The jury is still out on how

safe estrogen alone is, but I am not recommending it, and the major reason why is because every drug I know that reduces the risk of breast cancer reduces estrogen," he said. "Saying an estrogen is going to be safe raises an important question mark in my mind," Norton said. "Alternative treatments may help treat the symptoms and risks associated with menopause, so why take the chance?" Because the new study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

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[Guest guest]

Yes . Recently I re-looked at the questions regarding OCPs and the association with mental health issues especially depression, only to find that the most recent 3 reported no adverse effects, but in all 3 cases they ignored in their literature review the increased suicide rates among users reported in the original studies, (Royal college, walnut creek, Oxford/FPA), and the data accumulation and analysis in all 3 seemed not altogether satisfactory. So I'm just wondering if what we all suspect to be true about the unwholesome influence of the pharmaceutical companies on the "peer-reviewed literature" has ever been studied, at least in the case of contraception. Here, there are additional obstacles of not just profit-related issues but also ideological ones, as many of the researchers (e.g., Grimes, just to mention one) are in fact contraceptive "true believers". In man of the papers one encounters a more or less thinly-veiled desire to exonerate the intervention in question, and the paper seems to follow that rationale.

Sincerely yours,

Dominic M. Pedulla MD, FACC, CNFPMC, ABVM, ACPh

Interventional Cardiologist, Endovascular Diplomate, Varicose Vein Specialist, Noncontraceptive Family Planning Consultant, Family Planning Researcher

Medical Director, The Oklahoma Vein and Endovascular Center (www.noveinok.com, veininfo@...)

Executive Director, The Edith Stein Foundation (www.theedithsteinfoundation.com)

(office)

(cell)

(FAX)

pedullad@...

Estrogen and Breast CA Risk

This study was reported today:

J. Fehring

Professor

Marquette University

Long-Term Estrogen Therapy Does Up Breast Cancer Risk: Study

Data from government-funded study contradicts earlier findings on menopause treatment

By Mann

HealthDay Reporter

SUNDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- Several weeks after a study suggested that women who take estrogen-only hormone replacement to treat menopause symptoms may be at lower risk for developing breast cancer, another, much-larger study finds that when used for longer than 10 years, estrogen-only regimens actually raise a woman's long-term risk for breast cancer.

The new study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, whereas the previous one was partially funded by drug manufacturer Wyeth.

Researchers evaluated follow-up data from the Nurse's Health Study collected from 1980 through 2008. The women in the study were 30 to 55 years old in 1976. Overall, the risk for breast cancer was 88 percent higher among women who had taken estrogen plus progesterone for 10 to 14.9 years, compared to women who did not. This risk more than doubled for women who used estrogen-plus-progesterone therapy for 15 to 19.9 years.

Women who used estrogen-only therapy after menopause had 22 percent increased risk for breast cancer if they used it for 10 to 14.9 years, and 43 percent greater risk if they used it longer than 15 years.

There was no increased risk seen among women who took estrogen for fewer than 10 years. Women did not have an increased risk of dying from breast cancer, the study showed.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fell from grace after the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study was stopped early in 2002 because HRT was shown to increase the risk of strokes and breast and ovarian cancer. Some subtleties have emerged since that time. For example, short-term use of HRT is now deemed fairly safe for some women who have severe menopausal symptoms. Estrogen-only therapy is reserved for women who have had a hysterectomy; women with an intact uterus who use HRT must take the hormone progestin (synthetic progesterone) with estrogen to prevent uterine cancer.

"For combination therapy there is so much data about the dangers that we really tell people that if they must take it to treat symptoms, they should

only do so for a year or two at most," said study author Dr. Chen, an associate physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an assistant professor in medicine at the Breast Cancer Treatment Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. "For estrogen alone, there is more safety data for someone who wants to take it for five or six years."

Chen is scheduled to present her findings at this week's annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Chicago.

Her advice is for women to think about why they are

taking supplemental hormones. "If it is for hot flashes, they don't last forever," she said. If vaginal dryness is the issue, there are vaginal hormone preparations. "You are not going to have the systemic effects that you will from talking a pill," she said.

Dr. Larry Norton, deputy physician-in-chief for breast cancer programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and medical director of the H. Lauder Breast Center, in New York City, does not recommend that women take estrogen after menopause.

"The jury is still out on how

safe estrogen alone is, but I am not recommending it, and the major reason why is because every drug I know that reduces the risk of breast cancer reduces estrogen," he said. "Saying an estrogen is going to be safe raises an important question mark in my mind," Norton said. "Alternative treatments may help treat the symptoms and risks associated with menopause, so why take the chance?"

Because the new study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

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