New research from the New England Journal of Medicine suggests a drop in hormone use has caused a decline in breast cancer in the United States. Some doctors call the decline dramatic, but others aren’t so sure. KPBS reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.
In 2002, a national study showed women who took hormones had a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. That caused many women to forgo the treatment.
New research shows the effects, with breast cancer rates declining by 9 percent between 2001 and 2004.
UCSD family physician Joseph Scherger doesn’t think the drop is earth-shattering.
Scherger : The rate of breast cancer is small anyways, and a nine percent drop of a small number, is not a large absolute number.
Still, Scherger says hormones do carry a risk. He says a short-term course can help women who suffer from severe hot flashes and other disruptive menopausal symptoms.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
