Hormone therapy linked to
increased incidence of ovarian cancer
A large study conducted in the UK
has demonstrated that women who take hormone replacement therapy are more
likely to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and to die of the disease.
Results from the study, show that over five years there is one extra case of
ovarian cancer in every 2,500 women who take HRT. And for every 3,300 women
who take HRT, there will be one additional death from ovarian cancer.
The researchers, who are largely funded by Cancer Research UK, estimate that
use of HRT since 1991 has resulted in an extra 1,300 cases and 1,000 deaths
from ovarian cancer. The study also suggests that a woman's risk of ovarian
cancer returns to a normal level within a few years of stopping HRT. The
research showed that the risk of ovarian cancer was increased regardless of
which kind of HRT the women were taking.
Previous results from the study have linked the use of HRT with breast and
endometrial cancer, a cancer of the womb lining.
The overall incidence of these three cancers in women who take HRT is 31 cases
for every 1,000 women over five years. This compares with 19 cases in women
who have never taken HRT.
"This study clearly shows that taking HRT increases a woman's chance of
getting ovarian cancer and her chances of dying from the disease," said
professor John Toy, Cancer Research UK's medical director.
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