[How hazardous is the use of female steroid hormones?]

The development of female steroid hormone-related neoplasms such as gynaecologic and mammary cancers is influenced by hormones administered exogenously. Hormonal contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy both affect the risk of developing cancers in the endometrium, cervix, ovarium, and mammary glands. The authors refer to the recent literature and discuss the findings for the different types of cancers individually. Oestrogens promote development of cancers of the uterine corpus, but women who take progestins combined with oestrogens run no greater risk than women who do not take hormones. Female steroid hormones appear to increase the risk of developing cancer of the uterine cervix slightly, but protect against the development of ovarian cancer. An higher risk of developing mammary cancer is seen after taking oral contraceptive pills.