Colon Cancer Risk Reduced 38% In Women Using HRT

By New Day Vitality Hormone Center

New Day Vitality Hormone Center

. http://www.newdayvitality.com/

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Colon Cancer Risk Reduced 38% In Women Using HRT

Among postmenopausal women, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use was associated with a 38% reduction in overall colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, according to a study published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) Spectrum (October 2020).

Another study published in BMC Cancer (2020) found that even in patients diagnosed with CRC, the current use of HRT is associated with lower risks of both CRC-specific mortality and overall mortality. This research was a meta-analysis of four randomized control trials and 16 observational studies and included 10,013 colorectal cancer survivors.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer mortality in women. An American adult has about a six percent chance of developing CRC in his/her lifetime. Most CRC is preventable through regular screening but early detection also helps catch any cancer at more successfully treatable stages. In fact, the five-year survival for stage 1 colon and rectum cancer is 90.1%.

The JNCI study results indicate that both estrogen-only and estrogen plus progestin HRT formulations reduce CRC risk but CRC risk reduction was not seen in past HRT users. And “although this study includes populations in many locales, the participants were predominantly white, and therefore, these findings may not be generalizable to other racial and ethnic groups.” 

Although some studies have determined minor variations in HRT impact on subtypes of colorectal tumors, the underlying mechanisms of how HRT impacts CRC requires further study.

It is important to note that only 39.4% of CRC cases are diagnosed at the local stage. About one-third of adults aged 50 or older (about 22 million people) have not been screened as recommended.

HRT is safe for almost all women according to the latest medical research (Mayo Clinic: The Menopause Solution, 2018) and does not increase all-cause mortality (Journal of the American Medical Association, Sept. 12, 2018). Talk to your doctor or a hormone specialist about the benefit/risk value of hormone replacement therapy today!