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EFFECTS CAN LA
QQQ Daily Mail, Friday, August 30, 2019decision, and it’s vital that everyone
fully understands the benefits and
risks, discusses them with their GP
and is supported to make the deci-
sion that’s right for them.
‘These robust findings also tell us
more about the long-term impact of
different types of HRT on breast can-
cer risk, and, rather than causing con-
cern, we hope they will help anyone
considering HRT treatment to make
an even more informed decision.
‘On balance, many women will feel
HRT to be a necessity, as it can be
really effective in helping them con-
trol debilitating menopausal symp-
toms such as hot flushes. In order to
minimise the risk of breast cancer, it
is normally recommended that the
lowest effective dose is used for the
shortest possible time.’
Dr Louise Newson, a GP who spe-
cialises in the menopause, said: ‘The
very small increased breast cancer risk
needs to be put in context balanced
against the health benefits of HRT.
Menopause symptoms can be debili-
tating and HRT transforms the lives of
thousands of women.
‘I see a lot of patients who have had
breast cancer and chemotherapy but
still choose to take HRT because of
the benefits, which include protect-
ing against osteoporosis.
‘Most women on HRT will start
sleeping better and exercising more,the treatment. Only those on it for less than a
year were found to have little or no greater
chance of cancer.
The study showed that 8.3 per cent of patients
taking HRT for five years developed breast can-
cer, compared with 6.3 per cent of women not
on the treatment. Its authors said they were
concerned that GPs were telling women not to
worry about the risks. Without wanting to be
‘unduly alarming’, they suggested the NHS
should update its guidelines.
Doctors urged women not to panic however,
saying the benefits of relieving night sweats,
depression and hot flushes often outweighed
the risks. Others pointed out that most HRT
patients would start sleeping better and exer-
cising more, improving their health and lower-
ing their background cancer risk.
Published in the Lancet, the research was by
the same Oxford University researchers
involved in one of the two original – and much
smaller – studies in 2002 and 2003 that first
raised the breast cancer link. It confirmed
these original findings and showed the risk
persisted much longer than thought.
Author Professor Valerie Beral said: ‘This
study has brought together all worldwide evi-
dence. It shows a persistent risk of breast can-
cer for ten to 15 years even after people stop
taking menopausal hormone therapy, this was
not known about before. Previous estimates ofrisks are approximately doubled by the inclu-
sion of the persistent risk after use of the hor-
mones ceases. We are concerned GPs are telling
women they don’t need to worry about it.’
Co-author Professor Richard Peto said: ‘We
don’t want to be unduly alarming but we don’t
want to be unduly reassuring. Guidelines
should be reconsidered in light of accurate
information. Currently the risk of HRT is mis-
represented. The NHS Choices website talks
of a breast cancer risk of two per thousand
women but actually it is 20 per thousand.’
Baroness Delyth Morgan, of Breast Cancer
Care and Breast Cancer Now, said the study
provided important new information.
She added: ‘Taking HRT is a really personaltherefore they improve their overall
health and lower their background
risk of cancer.’
Professor Janice Rymer, of the Royal
College of Obstetricians and Gynae-
cologists, said: ‘Many women are still
suffering in silence and are reluctant
to seek advice and support due to
concerns around the risks of breast
cancer associated with HRT.
‘These findings should not put
women off if the benefits – such as pro-
tection of bones and decrease in car-
diovascular risk – outweigh the risks.
A woman has greater risk of develop-
ing breast cancer if she is overweight
or obese compared to taking HRT.’
Professor Martin Marshall of the
Royal College of GPs said: ‘We would
urge patients not to panic as a result
of this research, and to continue tak-
ing HRT as it has been prescribed to
them – and we would urge prescrib-
ers to do so as normal, until clinical
guidelines recommend otherwise.’
The extent to which women rely on
HRT has been shown by shortages –
revealed by the Mail – that have left
patients scrambling to get supplies,
with some even buying from abroad.
Several hundred thousand British
women take the treatment in gels,
patches or pills.
Sarah Branch, of the Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory
Agency, said women who have used
HRT should be vigilant about signs
of breast cancer. She added: ‘No
medicine is completely without risk,
but it is important for women to be
able to make an informed decision
about the risks and benefits.’
Comment – Page 16‘Should make an
informed choice’
BBC Kirsty:
Why I take
HRT after my
cancer fight
KIRSTY Lang had been taking
HRT for four years when she
was diagnosed with breast
cancer in 201.
The 57-year-old broadcaster
‘threw her HRT patches in the
bin’ but found that crippling
menopause symptoms, includ-
ing loss of libido and night
sweats, returned.
After successful chemother-
apy and surgery to remove the
tumour, Miss Lang has now
returned to combined
progesterone and oestrogen
treatment. The BBC Radio 4 pre-
senter says HRT massively
improves her quality of life and
yesterday urged other women
to keep the risks of the treat-
ment in context.
‘I made a careful decision‘Demonised
for years’after weighing up the evidence
and calculating the risk,’ she
said. ‘HRT has been demonised
for years but the risk is still
small. There are various life-
style factors that increase your
risk of getting breast cancer,
including alcohol, sugar and
being overweight.
‘Women must put all of these
into context.
‘This study does not mean you
should stop taking HRT if it is
worth it for your quality of life.
‘The suicide rate for 51- to
54-year-old menopausal
women is higher than in any
other age group. HRT really
can be life-saving.’
Miss Lang also takes
tamoxifen, a hormone therapy
used to treat breast cancer.
Doctors say it is OK for women
who have had early-stage
cancer to take HRT if they are
on tamoxifen.What is HRT?
Menopausal women stop
producing oestrogen and
progestogen – exposing them to
mood swings, depression, night
sweats and headaches. HRT
artificially replaces these
hormones, countering the worst
aspects of the menopause.What is the problem?
Oestrogen and progestogen also
drive the growth of certain
tumours, particularly in the
breasts and ovaries.Continued from Page One