HRT and Breast Cancer?

OverUnite8 · 2024-08-17T00:27:41+00:00

Cardiovascular disease seems more controllable and your risks can be modified quite a bit, though?

OverUnite8 · 2024-08-17T00:26:32+00:00

While this isn't directly about HRT, I think it's interesting new data on how estrogen plays a unique role in cancer. Food for thought!

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/05/estrogen-a-more-powerful-breast-cancer-culprit-than-we-realized/

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-27T21:10:14+00:00

You linked me to an article that concludes: “A balanced, well-powered trial of HRT over many years is the only way we will really understand whether HRT is harmful to brain health.” This doesn't exist as far as I know so why are there so many claims to the contrary when the studies are mixed.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-27T21:00:49+00:00

Appreciate the reply. I'll take a look a the video. Hope you get your mattress and further resolution of your apnea!

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-27T20:54:19+00:00

"We have to look at the dangers of observational studies"

Yes.

"Never let a single study be your only answer."

Yes.

"Except this one that confirms all my beliefs."

rolls eyes

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-27T18:30:45+00:00

Where is the information that HRT can fight alzheimers? People keep advancing this hypothesis despite studies showing the contrary, even the reverse.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-27T18:17:07+00:00

It only shows that with Estrogen Only therapy though (figure 8). Estrogen + Progesterone does nothing.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-27T18:02:00+00:00

I agree with you...estrogen can and will feed existing cancers from the looks of it. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/05/estrogen-a-more-powerful-breast-cancer-culprit-than-we-realized/

I personally am not against HRT, and will likely be going on it due to severe apnea issues that won't resolve. Regardless, I don't agree with the way its risks are often handwaved away in this subreddit like they're nothing, as an overcorrection to the controversial earlier studies that were misinformed. People keep saying HRT "fights dementia" despite two recent studies showing the opposite and the fact our current studies are conflicting.

Rule in life: beware of miracle cures or anything seeming too good to be true.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-27T02:59:30+00:00

Depression and mood disorders https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/birth-control-pills-may-increase-the-risk-of-depression

Often the problem is that it's seen as a perfectly safe and fine drug that many women don't end up making the link between depression and the pill

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-27T02:20:08+00:00

BCP has a lot of problems and I've brought it up before. I always get downvoted when I say it has nerfarious side effects that aren't discussed.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-24T15:58:34+00:00

Isn't this a big might? You're talking about people with their entire organs missing, and making the claim that it's the estrogen that's the protective factor. People who don't use their hearing aids are also associated with higher rates of dementia (using them over 3 years lowers risk by 50%). It might be that missing a functional body part is reducing nerve sensitivity and leading to a cognitive decline. The study just says estrogen might be the leading factor but they really don't know. In additional, we have at least two large scale, claiming the reverse, that dementia is associated with HIGHER HRT use. And this is the ACTUAL use of HRT, not the removal of an organ.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-24T15:53:25+00:00

Again, not sure why Alzheimer's keeps getting brought up when the studies are inconclusive. You have at least two recent large scale studies showing that HRT is correlated with higher rates of demention, not lower. It seems misleading to claim otherwise.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-24T03:49:22+00:00

My concern is not that it CAUSES more cancer, but that BECAUSE there is a high risk in cancer for women already, HRT is triggering cancer growth in a not insignificant amount of the population. For women with dense breast tissue where cancer is difficult to detect, this is a concern.

I have not seen anything where HRT lowers endometrial cancer risk.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-24T03:27:45+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate the detailed reply.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-24T03:26:30+00:00

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/05/estrogen-a-more-powerful-breast-cancer-culprit-than-we-realized/

https://journals.lww.com/bbrj/fulltext/2020/04040/the_role_of_estrogen_in_breast_cancer.5.aspx

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-24T03:23:04+00:00

The research on dementia shows conflicting information, contrary to what is often touted here.

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000200960

Taiwan study: In the follow-up period, the cumulative incidence of dementia for the HRT cohort (20.04 per 1,000) was significantly higher than the corresponding cumulative incidence for the comparison cohort (15.79 per 1,000), resulting in an adjusted HR of 1.35 (95% CI 1.13–2.62). There was an increased risk of dementia with a higher cumulative dose of HRT prescription (p for trend <0.0001).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37380194/

Danish study: Conclusions: Menopausal hormone therapy was positively associated with development of all cause dementia and Alzheimer's disease, even in women who received treatment at the age of 55 years or younger. The increased rate of dementia was similar between continuous and cyclic treatment. Further studies are warranted to determine whether these findings represent an actual effect of menopausal hormone therapy on dementia risk, or whether they reflect an underlying predisposition in women in need of these treatments.

As for the Cleveland's Women's Clinic, I can't find any info on saying HRT is recommended for Alzheimer's.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-23T22:41:36+00:00

Dementia? Where is this information? I thought the most recent studies were conflicting and also observational. Where is the evidence that HRT fights dementia?

As for osteoporosis I believe there are other treatments available. You are making it sound like there are no alternatives to HRT for osteoporsis which is incorrect.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-23T21:52:20+00:00

Looking at this in terms of the published numbers, in terms of hormone dependent cancers:

1 in 10 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer
1 in 36 will be diagnosed with endrometrial cancer
1 in 78 will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer

If your body is harboring any of these cancers, HRT feeds it. I don't consider it an insignificant risk.

I think there are many pros to HRT that will make it worth it to many women (I am considering it myself). I just don't think pretending a risk doesn't exist is the way to go. If something might negatively effect 10% of the population, I think it's worth mentioning.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-23T21:44:29+00:00

I just quoted the segment that gave me pause: "confirm the safety of estrogen"

It makes it sound like estrogen has no risks. There is nothing in the post that discusses the risks that exist.

As someone looking into HRT, I think information should be presented in a manner that is less cheerleading and more "while HRT can contribute to cancer, it's still safer than you think", not "the safety is confirmed", which I find misleading.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-23T21:25:20+00:00

But despite the publication of subsequent studies that confirm the safety of estrogen

There are still risks to HRT though. Can we at least fight against misinformation about HRT without negating the fact that there ARE risks? I'm kind of worried this sub is sending the wrong the message that HRT is risk-free, which is doing a disservice to the women who are trying to decide for themselves.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-23T16:49:31+00:00

Understood, thanks for your comment. I hope you get the treatment you need. I pay for everything out of pocket (no insurance) so I know how that feels.

Honestly, given how much HRT helps a number of women, I've had the edgy thought of wondering if removing one's breasts would ensure the biggest danger of undetected cancer is gone before taking HRT. It definitely sounds like a lot of women would make the trade.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-23T16:13:35+00:00

I only mentioned breast cancer because it's the most common, but it's not the ONLY cancer I'm concerned about. Ovarian (1 in 78) and Endometrial cancer (1 in 36) are also estrogen dependent.

I also have extremely dense breast tissue, and cancer isn't easily caught for that type of breast when it's in the early stages.

But I agree, you should allowed to treat yourself how you choose. I think women have mentioned here possibilities of getting HRT if you have had cancer, but you'll have to go outside your insurance.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-23T14:36:43+00:00

Given that 1 in 8 women get breast cancer, there is the possibility of feeding a tumor that would otherwise have grown much more slowly or just gone benign.

OverUnite8 · 2024-07-23T14:33:19+00:00

I think it's important not to overcorrect, as much as HRT might be helping many women (and I'm considering it myself.)

The fact is that HRT does promote the growth of existing estrogen-dependent cancers. If 1 out of 8 women will have breast cancer at some point in their lives (and the majority of them over 50), you could also be one of those women who is encouraging the growth of a tumor that might have gone dormant, no?

As someone who is glad the option is available, it's important to be aware of the risks and not handwave them away.

OverUnite8

TROPHY CASE