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Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study Cohort

¹ Hormonal and Reproductive Epidemiology Branch, ² Nutritional Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute; and ³ Organizational and Tracking Research Department, AARP, Washington, District of Columbia

Requests for reprints: Louise A. Brinton, 6120 Executive Boulevard, Suite 550, Room 5018, Rockville, MD 20852-7234. Phone: 301-496-1693; Fax: 301-402-0916. E-mail: brinton{at}nih.gov

Background: Results from the Women's Health Initiative trial raise new questions regarding the effects of estrogen therapy (ET) and estrogen plus progestin therapy (EPT) on breast cancer risk.

Methods: We analyzed data from 126,638 females, ages 50 to 71 years at baseline, who completed two questionnaires (1995-1996 and 1996-1997) as part of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Cohort Study and in whom 3,657 incident breast cancers were identified through June 30, 2002. Hormone-associated relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of breast cancer were estimated via multivariable regression models.

Results: Among thin women (body mass index <25 kg/m²), ET use was associated with a significant 60% excess risk after 10 years of use. EPT was associated with a significantly increased risk among women with intact uteri, with the highest risk among current, long-term (10 years) users (RR, 2.44; 95% CI, 2.13-2.79). These risks were slightly higher when progestins were prescribed continuously than sequentially (<15 days/mo; respective RRs of 2.76 versus 2.01). EPT associations were strongest in thin women, but elevated risks persisted among heavy women. EPT use was strongly related to estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors, requiring consideration of this variable when assessing relationships according to other clinical features. For instance, ER- ductal tumors were unaffected by EPT use, but all histologic subgroups of ER+ tumors were increased, especially low-grade and mixed ductal-lobular tumors.

Conclusions: Both ET and EPT were associated with breast cancer risks with the magnitude of increase varying according to body mass and clinical characteristics of the tumors. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(11):3150–60)

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