Cancer Council NSW has today released a study into Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) which found that women currently using HRT are, ‘twice as likely to develop breast cancer compared to women who have never used the medication’. This comparative study has provided contemporary data in the Australian population setting.
These findings are broadly consistent with international evidence that combined HRT is associated with increased risk of breast cancer.
Cancer Australia’s advice remains that combined HRT should only be considered as a short-term option for the management of severe menopausal symptoms.
Women who are already using combined HRT should be should be aware there are both benefits and risks associated with its use and should review their needs every 6 to 12 months in consultation with their GP.