Note: hormone therapy (HT) may also be referred to as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Background

The management of menopausal symptoms in women after breast cancer is important. Due to the improved survival after breast cancer, the number of such women who experience menopausal symptoms has increased.

The Study

The aim of the HABITS study was to evaluate whether hormone therapy ( oestrogen and progestin) is safe in women WITH a previous breast cancer.

It was undertaken in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe. It was an open randomised clinical trial with women allocated to either HT or best treatment without hormones.

The study was planned for five years and has been halted after two years.

Why was the study halted?

The study was halted after 2 years because the researchers found an “unacceptably” high risk for a new breast cancer event in the HT group. The intention was to recruit 1300 women to the study, but this was not achieved.

• More than 345 women who had had breast cancer were part of the study
• 26 out of 174 women in the HRT group had a recurrence compared with
  7 out of 171 women in the non HRT group

These results contrast those of a similar study, involving a similar number of breast cancer survivors, conducted at the same time in Sweden. This second study has reported no increase in risk of breast cancer recurrence in women who were randomised to HT versus those randomised to best non hormonal care. At this point we do not why the results from the two studies are so different.

Conclusion

Based on what we know at this time, recommendations for HT use after breast cancer remain unchanged ie HT use should only be considered by women who have severe symptoms that significantly impair quality of life. Their decision to use HT should be made after a discussion about what is known of their individual risk with their doctor.

Resources

For more information relating to HT go to www.managingmeopause.org.au

Content updated February 06, 2004