Hormone replacement therapy in women with breast cancer

The influence of estrogens on the growth of mammary carcinoma cell lines has been confirmed by many studies. Therefore, past or recent history of breast cancer is principally seen as a contraindication for estrogen or estrogen/progestin replacement therapy. The recently made possible early diagnosis of mammary carcinomas in many cases has resulted in a better prognosis, and means that following treatment women are living for a long time postmenopausally. Therefore, hormone replacement therapy is demanded by many patients. Recent studies with a limited number of patients, however, have shown no adverse effects of an estrogen or an estrogen-progestin replacement therapy after treatment of a mammary carcinoma. In some studies even a positive effect has been found in recurrence free survival. However, a final decision upon estrogen or estrogen/progestin replacement therapy in postmenopausal women with a history of breast cancer, cannot be made until the results of prospective clinical trials are finalized.