After the big Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study that came out a few years ago, women around the world have been wondering, am I still at risk for breast cancer? I stopped my estrogen and I stopped my progestin (fake progesterone) so now what?
In the March 8th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (big deal to get published in here!) the news was not so good. Immediately stopping these hormones lowered cardiovascular risks such as heart attacks and blood clots. This is a good thing. However, they also found that women who took HRT remained at a higher risk for breast cancer even up to 3 years after stopping!
The study happened between 2002 and 2005. Being that it is 2008, the study does not say if it was ongoing and the effects of HRT after 3 years, ie. from 2002 - 2008.
What can women do? Be diligent! Go get your breast exams and mammograms! Eat healthy, exercise, limit your alcohol intake, limit your estrogen exposure, drink plenty of filtered water and perform monthly breast self exams (or have your partner do it!)
I have a good friend who went to the doctor for her yearly check-up. She brought her husband for moral support. During the breast exam, the doctor found a lump and remarked if my friend had ever felt it? Was it new? Had it been growing? How long had it been there? My friend was at a loss for words...she didn't know.
Suddenly her husband piped in, "I've been feeling that lump for awhile now. It hasn't grown. It hasn't changed."
The moral of the story is communication!! The lump turned out to be normal but had he told her about it, she would have been in for evaluation much sooner. I now tell all of my patients this story so they will let their significant others know a breast exam can be both fun AND medical at the same time!
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