No Hormone Link to Breast Cancer Found

A study of 37,000 women found that taking hormones after menopause does not increase the risk of breast cancer, except for some uncommon forms that grow slowly and are highly treatable.

Researchers said the findings add to evidence that the benefits of hormone supplements outweigh any increased risk of breast cancer.

Millions of women take hormones to ease symptoms of menopause. The hormones also reduce the risk of heart disease, brittle bones and possibly even mental decline.

Some previous studies have indicated that women who take the hormones are more likely to develop breast cancer. Other studies have found no link.

This study, in today’s Journal of the American Medical Assn., was the first to group cases by whether the cancers were slow-growing or fast-growing.