Symptomatic benign breast disease and hormone replacement therapy

The effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on presentation and diagnos es of postmenopausal women has been examined by a retrospective review of p atients presenting to a symptomatic Breast Clinic over a 5-year period. Six ty-seven post-menopausal women aged less than 65 years taking hormone repla cement therapy for more than 6 months were compared with 144 post-menopausa l women aged less than 65 years not taking hormone replacement therapy. The re was no difference in the pattern of presentation, rate of intervention o r final diagnoses between these two groups. HRT does not appear to effect t he pattern of presentation of benign breast disease in post-menopausal wome n. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.