This 2017 review critically examines the evolving evidence surrounding hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women. It highlights the initial perception of HRT as a low-risk intervention for symptom relief and chronic disease prevention, which was challenged by the early termination of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial due to
This 1980 study evaluated the contraceptive efficacy of subcutaneous 17β-estradiol pellet implants in women over 35 years old who could not tolerate oral contraceptives. The regimen involved descending doses (25 mg pellets) implanted at six-month intervals. Over 18,480 cycles (1,540 woman-years), the corrected Pearl Index was 0.273, indicating high contraceptive
A review published in Prescrire International (2013) evaluated first-line treatments for metastatic prostate cancer, focusing on androgen suppression therapies like orchiectomy and gonadorelin agonists, which provide significant pain relief for about 80% of patients with bone metastases. However, the effect of these therapies on overall survival remains uncertain. Nonsteroidal antiandrogen
This prospective cohort study examined the association between combined estrogen and testosterone therapy and the risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Over 24 years, 4,610 cases of invasive breast cancer were identified, with current users of estrogen plus testosterone therapies showing a 2.5-fold increased risk compared to never
The observational study titled “Effect of exogenous estrogen on serum pregnenolone, cortisol, and androgens in postmenopausal women” (Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1975, PMID: 163457) examined how estrogen therapy influences adrenal steroidogenesis in postmenopausal women. The study found that exogenous estrogen significantly increased serum levels of pregnenolone, cortisol, and androgens, suggesting that
This systematic review assessed the impact of micronized progesterone combined with estrogen on breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women with an intact uterus. The study found that short-term use (up to 5 years) of this combination did not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer, but limited evidence suggested that
This study, conducted within the Nurses’ Health Study cohort, examined the association between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women over 725,550 person-years, documenting 1,935 cases of invasive breast cancer. Results showed that current users of estrogen alone had a relative risk (RR) of 1.32 (95%
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) randomized trials examined the effects of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) on breast cancer incidence and mortality. The findings showed that estrogen therapy (ET) alone, given to women with prior hysterectomy, decreased both breast cancer incidence and mortality. In contrast, combined estrogen plus progestin therapy (EPT)
A pilot study investigated the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in six postmenopausal women with mild to moderate SDB. Polysomnography was conducted at baseline, after 7-12 days of estrogen therapy, and again after an additional 7-13 days of combined estrogen and progesterone therapy. Estrogen alone
This study presents a hypothesis on the potential benefits of early, low-dose hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in healthy perimenopausal women, particularly in improving metabolic syndrome components and reducing cardiovascular risk. However, the article does not provide empirical data to support these claims and is based purely on theoretical assumptions. It
