Health
Studies offer new insights on breast cancer risk
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted March 24, 2008
A new study found that women whose breast cancer came back after treatment had almost twice as much estrogen in their blood as did women who remained cancer-free. The study was published in the March Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a journal of the American Assn. for Cancer Research.
The finding suggests that high levels of estrogen contribute to an increased risk of cancer recurrence, just as they lead to the initial development of breast cancer, said the study's lead author, Cheryl L. Rock, PhD, a professor in the Dept. of Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine at the University of California, San Diego.
A second study found that several risks of long-term use of combination estrogen plus progestin therapy in healthy women -- including breast cancer risk -- persisted for at least a few years after stopping the drugs. The study, based on data collected for the Women's Health Initiative, was in the March 5 Journal of the American Medical Association. While risk for heart disease dropped quickly after stopping medication, risk for breast cancer, stroke and blood clots remained high.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/03/24/hlbf0324.htm.
