New study firmly ties hormone use to breast cancer

Based on the women I've known, the risk of getting cancer depends not so much on hormones but on genetic predisposition and diet. A woman who is not predisposed to cancer (this can be roughly gauged by their family history and absence of precancerous skin damage from sun exposure) probably isn't at a higher risk, and this group also seems to benefit the most from HRT (increased vitality and remission of symptoms), whereas the at-risk group (determined by the criteria above) seems to have lots of side-effects (bleeding, tenderness in the breasts, etc.).

Complicating the equation is environmental exposure to chemicals that affect hormones, something that is probably impossible to control or measure. The women I've known who took active steps to limit this chemical exposure generally had fewer menopausal symptoms and were less likely to seek HRT. They also had fewer side-effects from HRT when they did choose it.

Based on the women I've known, the risk of getting cancer depends not so much on hormones but on genetic predisposition

I seriously question your
credentials. It is appalling
that any real scientist or
physician would make the conclusions
which you do based on such
outlandishly inappropriate
personal observations! You talk
the words of science yet display
lack of understanding of its
methodologies.

This seems to be a very good study
and is most welcome! The bad news
is that its taken soo many years
for gov. researchers to do such a
study! This question was 'on the
table' in the 1970's !!!!!

Further, one would expect that
obesity would cause a parallel
rise in risk, for the same
hormonal reasons. However, and
surprisingly, this is true only
for POST-menapausal women: the
fact is that obesity (and its
associated elevations of estrogenic
hormones) actually seems to
protect PRE-menapausal women from
breast cancer. Much more work
needs to be done! I hope we wont
have to wait another 40 years to
sort tHAT out!

What's sad is a cursory search of the literature reveals studies showing this decades ago. Check out the late Dr. John Lee. He has some nice links on his site. Also, progesterone cream can help counter the effects of xenoestrogens.

Incomplete research indicates a TEMPERATURE rise within cells predates "accelerated mitosis". If hormonal chemicals cause this effect in reproductive organs they may well be causative!