Womens Health Blog

Several studies have indicated that female sex hormones influence development of breast cancer in all stages. All preventive measures to reduce the risk of breast cancer are based on the following under­standing of the relationship of these hormones to the risk of breast cancer:

1. Early menopause reduces the risk of breast cancer. Women who have menopause after the age of fifty years are at greater risk of breast cancer.
2. Early onset of menstruation (menarche), especially before eleven years of age, increases the risk of breast cancer.
3. Obesity after menopause increases the risk of breast cancer. However, obesity before menopause marginally reduces the risk of breast cancer.
4. Estrogen replacement therapy after menopause increases the risk of breast cancer to a relatively small extent.
5. Oral contraceptive pills do not decrease the risk of breast cancer.

Family history is very important in establishing risk levels for breast cancer. Immediate blood relatives of women who have had breast cancer have two to three times higher risk of developing breast cancer. Cancers of ovary and uterus also increase the risk.

Many women are concerned with the effect of estrogen replacement therapy on the breast. This is mainly because of the risk associated with oral contraceptive pills and breast cancer. The level of estrogen in most birth control pills is much higher than the dose recommended for replacement therapy. This is why; you should not worry about developing breast cancer if your doctor recommends hormone replacement therapy.

He/ she will, however, not recommend this therapy if you have other risks of developing breast cancer, such as breast cancer in your immediate blood relatives, etc.

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