An Australian study found that women who use menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), which is the restructured term for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), have double the risk of developing breast cancer compared to women who never used MHT. When women stop using MHT, the increased risk drops and becomes the same as with other women who don't use it.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Cancer Council NSW. The findings reiterated the long-standing debate about MHT-related breast cancer risk. The researchers studied the data of 1,236 post-menopausal women with breast cancer and 862 post-menopausal women who didn't have the disease. Factoring in external factors such as cancer history in the family, the researchers found the post-menopausal women currently on MHT are twice as likely to develop breast cancer compared to those who are not on MHT.

For women experiencing menopausal symptoms such as night sweats and hot flashes, MHT is highly effective in reducing the gravity of such symptoms and can improve quality of life. The research findings are viewed as an apt reminder that MHT carry many risks, yet MHT could still be the right choice for women who are suffering from moderate to severe symptoms.

"The message to convey is that it's important that women check in with their doctor every six months about the continuing use of MHT, because the risk of breast cancer increases as duration of use increases," said Professor Karen Canfell from the Cancer Council NSW. Based on the gathered research data, Canfell estimated that nearly half a million women in Australia are currently using MHT.

The researchers also found that the risk of developing breast cancer is even higher in women who take a combination of progestogen and oestrogen hormone therapy. This is in comparison to women who take oestrogen therapy alone.

Women who had been on an oestrogen-progestogen therapy for five years were found with a 60 percent increased risk. The risk goes up to a staggering 120 percent increase for a 10-year use. Women on an oestrogen-only therapy for five years were found to have a 20 percent increased risk. The risk goes up to 30 percent for a 10-year use.

The study was published in the International Journal of Cancer.

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