A review of available literature on the relationship between postmenopausal hormone use and breast cancer confirms current beliefs that hormone replacement therapy increases the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Harvard Medical School researchers reviewed articles indexed on MEDLINE for evidence of a causal relationship between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer. They found that the risk of breast cancer associated with each year of postmenopausal hormone use was equivalent to the risk associated with delaying menopause by a year. The conclusion is that it is evident that postmenopausal hormones cause breast cancer.

J Natl Cancer Inst June 3, 1998;90:814-823.

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

If you are a woman over 50, and your physician has you on estrogens because he does not believe that it will increase your risk for cancer, you can use this article to prove to him that it does.

A Harvard research team reviewed the literature and published the findings in one of the premier cancer journals Estrogen feeds cancer while progesterone inhibits it. It would be wise to phase off of the estrogen as soon as possible and replace that with natural progesterone. If hot flashes are a problem, a phytoestrogen like black cohosh is generally very effective.