In Brief: Could estrogen help colon cancer patients?
In Brief
Could estrogen help colon cancer patients?
Postmenopausal hormones have gotten a bad reputation because of studies linking them to a higher risk for breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. Data reported late in 2006 showed an unexpected dip in breast cancer incidence. The leading explanation was that large numbers of women had stopped taking postmenopausal hormones because they were worried about the health risks.
But we've got to be careful about painting with too broad and black a brush. Some evidence indicates that the cardiovascular risks increase only for women who begin or continue taking hormones a decade after menopause has started, or in women with known heart disease.
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