Does Hormone Therapy Cause Cancer?

Does Hormone Therapy Cause Cancer?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is for women experiencing menopausal symptoms. Though HRT has some risks associated with it, the benefits typically compensate for the risks.

What is HRT?

Hormones play an important role in our bodies by controlling fertility, growth, and our moods.

After the Menopause, the ovaries stop producing the female sex hormone, known as the Estrogen. At this time womengo through menopausal symptoms like mood changes and hot flashes. For some women, these symptoms are very disturbing, the Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can treat them by improving the number of female sex hormones in the body.

Though HRT has some risks associated with it, the benefits usually outweigh the risks. Few complications that can arise through HRT are:

• Venous Thromboembolism: The amount, type, and the method of administration of Estrogen and Progestogen usually cause a bigger risk of developing Thromboembolic diseases. Oral HRT in the form of Estrogen alone or in combination with Progestogen may cause venous Thromboembolism.

• Endometrial Cancer: When using Estrogen as the only dose, the risk of developing Endometrial Cancer is high.

• Breast Cancer: Combined HRT is believed to raise the risk of breast cancer

• Stroke: There is a small risk associated with the oral use of Estrogen alone or in combination.

Risk of cancer with HRT depends on many factors such as the type of HRT, when is it started, how long does it take, age and health of the patient.