COMMENTARY BY DR. LISA CURCIO
 

Dr. Lisa Curcio’s response to recently released data concerning Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

 A recent report in the Journal of the American Medical Society (JAMA reported interim data regarding the Seer study.  Throughout the years, HRT was routinely given to women to ease the symptoms associated with menopause.  But in 2002, the preliminary results of the Seer study were released that suggested combination HRT was causing an increase in breast cancer.

Due to this alarming interim finding, the study was halted, and the 16,000 women who were undergoing HRT were stopped because there were concerns regarding cardiac health and breast cancer related events. 

At that time, the study showed that prolonged hormonal therapy use of estrogen and progesterone increased breast cancer risk.  These concerns led to a rapid decline in hormone therapy used and subsequent several year decreases in breast cancer diagnosis.

The newly reported data is an interim analysis of the patients that were involved in the original trial.  The data confirmed the original finding of an increased risk of breast cancer, but a significant factor is that breast cancers in these patients were more aggressive and more commonly associated with fatality by a risk factor of two. Specifically, the study demonstrated that 25% of women on combination HRT were more likely to have invasive breast cancer and 78%  were more likely to have cancer that spread to lymph nodes, and all were twice as likely to die of breast cancer.

 This recently released data, combined with the original analysis of prolonged hormone replacement therapy, should be seriously considered and discussed with your physician before considering the use of hormone replacement therapy. For those women who have significant menopausal symptoms, a short course of the lowest possible dose of hormone therapy for the shortest period of time can be indicated after a comprehensive discussion of the risks and benefits with her physician. 

 Hopefully, this data will solidify for many people that hormone therapy is not the all encompassing answer for all age-related changes that affect women.  Being proactive with our health means making choices that are sometimes not easy, but the benefits we can realize in the long run are well worth the effort. We make choices every day such as pursing a healthy lifestyle that encompasses a nutritious diet, exercise, and stress reduction.  I believe hormone therapy should be one of those carefully thought out decisions, weighing pros and cons, carefully and methodically with our healthcare providers.

If you have any questions regarding HRT, please schedule your consultation with Dr. Lisa Curcio.  

BREAST CANCER VACCINE

The recent study released by Dr. Vincent Tuohy at the Cleveland Clinic on the potential of “preventing” breast cancer with a vaccine is of great interest to me and my patients. I have been closely monitoring the work of researchers as they study ways to prevent breast cancer tumors from forming and developing into breast cancer.  While the research has been promising in animal studies, I stress to my patients that early detection is still your best defense in fighting breast cancer. Be sure to consult with your doctor and schedule your annual mammogram and yearly breast exam with a professional.<<  BACK