Breast Cancer incidence in the U.S. has dropped! This fact may be due to the millions of older women that have stopped using hormone replacement therapy. Researchers have identified a decline of about 14,000 fewer women diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 than in 2002.

The steepest decline (12%) occurred in women aged between 50 and 69 diagnosed with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. We know that this type of breast cancer depends on hormones for tumor growth, according to the report.
The researchers said that because the analysis was based on population statistics, they could not know for sure the reasons why the incidence declined.

What other effects might be involved?
Was there a decreased use of screening mammograms so fewer women were diagnosed?
Was there a change in use of antiinflammatory agents or statin drugs?

The potential effect of HRT was strong enough to explain the results.
It would be interesting to know which type of HRT women stopped using and what the delivery system was (oral or transdermal)?

I’m sure there is more research to come. Stay tuned…

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