HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY AND BREAST-CANCER MORBIDITY, MORTALITY AND RECURRENCE

The effects of short-term and long-term HRT (in its various forms, uno pposed oestrogens, sequentially combined HRT and continuous combined H RT) on the female breast are reviewed. The question is addressed wheth er HRT will increase the risk of breast cancer as well as the risk of dying from breast cancer in healthy women, and whether or not women wh o already run an increased risk on the basis of a positive family hist ory, use of DES during pregnancy or because of the presence of premali gnant epithelial abnormalities-in the breast, increase their risk for breast cancer further. The risks of HRT and the options for HRT in pat ients who have a history of breast cancer are discussed and alternativ e treatment modalities for climacteric complaints (e.g. clonidine, pac ed-respiration) or for preventive HRT (e.g. tamoxifen, tibolone) are r eviewed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.