by ecancer Reporter Emma Campbell

New findings from a study following post-menopausal women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have fuelled the long-standing controversy around its risks and benefits.

The Danish research found that women in the early stages of menopause who took HRT for 10 years were less likely to die or suffer heart failure or heart attack than women who had never taken it. The study also found that HRT was not associated with any increase in the risk of breast cancer, stroke or blood clots.

HRT can reduce the symptoms of menopause, such as poor sleep, hot flushes and weight gain. It can also help to lower the risk of osteoporosis (thinning bones). But several studies have suggested that HRT can slightly increase the risk of ovarian and breast cancer. And the risk of heart disease seems to be increased or decreased depending on how early in menopause HRT is started.

In this latest study, published in the BMJ, the researchers recruited 1,006 recently menopausal women aged between 45 and 58. These were randomly allocated so that half received HRT while the other half had no treatment. From beginning their treatment, the women were then followed up for an average of 15.8 years.

After this time, the researchers looked at overall mortality rates among the two groups of women and also whether they had suffered heart failure or a heart attack. They also checked for breast and other cancers, and for blood clots.

Their findings showed that 16 women who had been taking HRT for 10 years had either died or been admitted to hospital with heart failure or heart attack, compared with 33 in the control group. Taking HRT also did not seem to increase the risk of breast or any other cancer, although the researchers state that ‘because of the potential time lag [for cancer to develop] a longer follow-up may be necessary to make more definite conclusions’.

The researchers believe that starting HRT early after menopause reduces the combined risk of death, heart failure and heart attack without any apparent increase in the risk of cancer or stroke.

The NHS have responded with caution, explaining that the study involved a relatively small number of women compared with previous studies into HRT. They also encouraged women who were concerned about taking HRT to discuss their individual risks with their GP.

Reference
LL Schierbeck, L Rejnmark, CL Tofteng, et al. Effect of hormone replacement therapy on cardiovascular events in recently postmenopausal women: randomised trial. BMJ. doi: 10.1136/bmj.e6409