Combined hormone therapy increases lobular breast cancer risk

Postmenopausal women who take combined estrogen/progestin hormone-replacement therapy for three years or more face a fourfold increased risk of developing various forms of lobular breast cancer, according to new findings by researchers.

The research was conducted at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and published in the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

"Previous research indicated that five or more years of combined hormone-therapy use was necessary to increase overall breast-cancer risk," said Christopher I. Li, M.D., Ph.D., the lead author of the report. "Our study, the first specifically designed to evaluate the relationship between combined HRT and lobular breast cancers, suggests that a significantly shorter length of exposure to such hormones may confer an increased risk."

The study, which confirms previous reports of the association between combined hormone-therapy use and increased risk of lobular breast cancers, is the largest study of combined HRT and lobular cancer risk in the United States. It is also the first such study to take into account the recency and duration of hormone use and the first to include a centralized pathological review of tumor specimens to confirm their histological type: ductal, lobular or mixed ductal-lobular.

Lobular cancer involves the lobules, or chambers, in the breast that contain milk-producing glands. While lobular carcinoma accounts for only about 15 percent of all invasive breast cancers, it is hormonally sensitive and therefore more treatable than the more common ductal variety, which arises in the ducts that carry milk from the lobules to the nipple. However, lobular breast tumors also present a clinical challenge because they are more difficult to detect both by clinical examination and by mammography than ductal cancers, which account for about 70 percent of invasive breast cancers in the United States.

The study assessed hormone-replacement status in more than 1,500 postmenopausal women in western Washington - 1,044 breast-cancer cases (324 lobular, 196 mixed ductal-lobular and 524 ductal) and 469 controls. The researchers also confirmed tumor status through centralized examination of breast tissue.

The researchers found that current users of combined HRT had a 2.7-fold and 3.3-fold elevated risk of lobular and ductal-lobular cancer, respectively, regardless of tumor stage, size or number of lymph nodes involved. Only women who used combined HRT for three or more years faced an increased risk of lobular cancer. Among mixed ductal-lobular cases, hormone therapy increased the risk of tumors that were predominantly lobular but not tumors that had predominantly ductal characteristics.

The incidence of invasive lobular and ductal-lobular breast cancers has risen rapidly in the United States, increasing 52 percent and 96 percent, respectively, between 1987 and 1999, whereas rates of ductal cancer have increased only 3 percent during this time.

"Our research suggests that the use of postmenopausal hormone-replacement therapy, specifically the use of combined estrogen-plus-progestin preparations, may be contributing to this increase," said Li, an associate member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division.

The National Cancer Institute funded this research, which involved researchers from the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences and Human Biology divisions as well as the University of Washington School of Medicine.

(Published at Health News Track on January 18, 2008 - 354 days ago)

Breast cancer article/news source:

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center - read other health news articles from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and health news articles from USA.

Breast cancer - related articles/news stories:

- Healthy diet may cut risk of breast cancer recurrence
- New breast imaging BSGI effective in detection of breast cancers
- Some breast cancers may regress naturally
- Laura Bush's partnership for breast cancer awareness in Panama
- Psychotherapy improves survival for breast cancer patients
- Calcium, vitamin D may not reduce breast cancer risk
- Exercise protects against breast cancer
- Breast stem cell fate is regulated by notch
- Anti inflammatory drugs linked with reduced breast cancer risk
- $19 Million to M. D. Anderson for breast cancer research


»» Consumer Healthcare supports FDA over OTC cough and cold medicines withdrawal
«« Gay men vulnerable to infectious MRSA superbug bacteria

The information provided on Health Newstrack is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her physician.
We comply with the HONcode principles for trustworthy health information, verify here.
www.healthnewstrack.com - About us, Editorial team, Advertising, Jobs, Links, Privacy policy, Disclaimer, Feedback,
Site map, List health news, Health news organizations, Health news world, Accessibility, Glossary, Testimonials, Blog
Mobile/PDA Submit press release
© 2007-2008 HealthNewstrack.com
Track Health News Daily
1.39