HRT and breast cancer prognosis is more favorable in women under treatment

Breast cancers found in women receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in France have features and a more favorable evolution in the absence of menopause , according to the experience of the Institut Curie published in Bulletin of Cancer.
The responsibility of taking HRT in the occurrence of breast cancer has been demonstrated in numerous studies .

Dr. Camille Czernichow and colleagues at the Institut Curie have seen , from the file within their institution , the characteristics of breast cancers affecting 6,737 patients depending on whether they had taken HRT or not . Between 1988 and 1999 , 1,482 (22%) reported taking HRT at the waning of menopause for at least six months ( the composition of HRT is however not known) .

The discovery of cancer by mammography was more frequent among HRT group (43 % versus 31%) and age at diagnosis was lower ( 59 vs. 64). Cancers diagnosed in the HRT were smaller ( 24 vs 31 mm ) and less aggressive biological profile . Were also identified more lobular cancers. In addition , the rate of conservative treatment was higher ( 83 % vs. 64.5 %).

With a median follow up of 97 months , relapse -free interval was not different between the two groups ( 10-year survival of 86 %) and metastasis -free interval (84% vs 76 % at 10 years ) and overall survival (86 % vs. 73%) were found to be significantly better in patients treated with HRT.

The HRT remained , also an independent prognostic factor in survival after multivariate analysis.

" The diagnosis of breast cancer occurring in a patient receiving HRT is often accompanied by intense guilt , both for patients than doctors," say the authors by citing the latest data presented at San Antonio the decline in the incidence of breast cancer has been linked to lower requirements of HRT.

However, the nutritional environment of Americans is very different, they note.

" In the prescribing of HRT in France during this period and monitoring procedures recommended , breast cancers detected in women receiving HRT at least six months and treated in our institute , have more favorable characteristics and evolution than untreated women, " write Dr. Czernichow and colleagues .

The responsibility of HRT in the current increase in the incidence of breast cancer is considered very carefully by the entire medical community , but the HRT alone can not be held responsible for the increase , say - they .

It should not ignore the increased incidence of breast cancer in premenopausal women , or other possible causes for this increase , including the extension of the life of women, better detection of breast cancer and the effect of other hormonal factors ( lengthening of the period of genital activity, contraceptive pills , environmental estrogens and other endocrine disruptors ) , they add .