http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060724/ap_on_he_me/estrogen_breast_cancer

By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
15 minutes ago


CHICAGO - Older women who take hormone pills that combine estrogen and
testosterone more than double their risk of breast cancer, according
to a study of more than 70,000 nurses.

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"This type of hormone therapy may help with mood, libido and bone
mineral density, but the possible risk of breast cancer may outweigh
these benefits," said study co-author Rulla Tamimi of Harvard Medical
School.

The findings, published in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, add
to the evidence that certain types of hormone supplements, such as
estrogen-progestin pills, increase women's risk of breast cancer,
strokes and heart attacks. Earlier research also found a greater
breast cancer risk in women with higher natural levels of
testosterone.

The overall risk of breast cancer among the participants in the latest
study was small, with 17 cases of the disease among the 500 or so
women who took the estrogen-testosterone combination.

Women's natural levels of estrogen and testosterone decline with
menopause.

Only about 2 percent of women taking hormones in the study in 2000
used a form that included testosterone. But usage climbed during the
24 years of the study as evidence appeared linking the hormone
combination to better bone density, improved mood and greater sexual
enjoyment.

Estrogen-testosterone pills are sold under the brand names Estratest
and Estratest H.S. by Solvay Pharmaceuticals of Marietta, Ga. Those
brand names appear on a Washington-based advocacy group's "Worst
Pills" list because of breast cancer risk.

"We strongly urge women not to use this product or similar products
from compounding pharmacists," said Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of
Public Citizen's Health Research Group, which produces the Worst Pills
list.

The        Food and Drug Administration has asked Solvay for evidence
the drug eases hot flashes in menopausal women, as the label claims.
The company has requested a hearing on the matter.

The drug was approved 30 years ago, before such evidence was required.

The new study used data from the long-running Nurses' Health Study.
The women who took estrogen and testosterone after menopause had a 2
1/2 times higher risk of developing breast cancer than women who never
took hormones. Most of the women taking the combination used
Estratest.

"The company has not yet had the opportunity to review the details of
the study or the content of the article," said Solvay spokesman
Gabrielle Braswell.

The researchers took into account other breast cancer risk factors,
such as family history, weight and age at menopause and still found an
increased risk associated with estrogen-testosterone pills.

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