New research suggests that long-term use of any type of hormones to ease menopause symptoms can raise a woman’s risk of breast cancer.

It is already known that taking pills that combine estrogen and progestin – the most common type of hormone therapy – can increase breast cancer risk. but women who no longer have a uterus can take estrogen alone, which was thought to be safe and possibly even slightly beneficial in terms of cancer risk.

The new study suggests otherwise, if the pills are used for many years. it tracked the health of about 60,000 nurses and found that use of any kind of hormones for 10 years or more slightly raised the chances of developing breast cancer.“There’s a continued increase in risk with longer durations of use, and there does not appear to be a plateau,’’ said study leader Dr. Wendy Chen of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

The hormone picture has been confusing, and the absolute risk of breast cancer for any woman taking hormone pills remains small. Doctors say women should use the lowest dose needed for the shortest time possible.

“It’s hard to be surprised that if you keep taking it, sooner or later it’s going to raise risk,’’ said Dr. Robert Clarke of Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The study was discussed Sunday in Chicago at a conference of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Another study presented at the conference might help explain why black women are so much more likely than whites to develop and die from cervical cancer: they seem to have more trouble clearing HPV, the virus that causes the disease.

Doctors have long thought that less access to screening and follow-up health care were the reasons black women are 40 percent more likely to develop cervical cancer and twice as likely to die from it. the new study involving young college women suggests there might be a biological explanation for the racial disparity, too.

If further study confirms this novel finding, it would make the HPV vaccine even more important for black women, said Worta McCaskill-Stevens, a prevention specialist at the National Cancer Institute. the vaccine is recommended for all girls starting at age 11.

Certain strains of HPV, the human papillomavirus, cause cervical cancer, but brief infections are very common in young women. they usually go away on their own within a year or so and only pose a cancer risk when they last long-term.

Researchers at the University of South Carolina in Columbia studied 326 white and 113 black students taking part in a wider federal health study. All were given Pap tests – lab exams of cells scraped from the cervix – and HPV tests every six months throughout their years in school.

Although the groups were similar in how many new HPV infections were detected and risk factors such as how many sex partners they had, doctors saw striking differences in how long their infections lasted.

At any checkup, black women were 1.5 times more likely to test positive for infection with one of the HPV strains that raise cancer risk, said study leader Kim Creek.

“the African-American women weren’t clearing the virus as fast,’’ he said. “they were actually holding onto it about six months longer,’’ for 18 months versus 12 months for white women. ten percent of black women had abnormal Pap tests versus 6 percent of whites.

Two years after initial infections were found, 56 percent of black women were still infected but only 24 percent of white women remained infected.

The government’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities sponsored the study.

A large number of ladies are diagnosed with ovarian cysts but not absolutely everyone understands the best way to greatest take care of it. Naturally, females ask their medical doctors for medical suggestions on the way to be treated. Medical doctors would typically put you on a hormone therapy and prescribe you with analgesics. in uncommon situations, surgical procedures are recommended to present immediate relief and avoid further complications.

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Is it dangerous physically or emotionally for a women who has had a hysterectomy to decline hormone therapy

you basically wont feel like a woman anymore.
just whinny
and MEAN..

youtube.com/watch?v=gkvNUAZJg…

Some doctors in Canada are warning women that they are courting risks they may not even be aware of when they turn to bio-identical hormone replacement therapy to treat the symptoms of menopause.

The therapy, also known as BHRT, uses hormones derived from plants such as yam and soy. BHRT has been growing in popularity because of fears over risks from traditional hormone replacements, derived from the urine of pregnant horses.

The use of standard hormone therapy for women suffering hot flashes, mood swings and other symptoms of menopause plunged after a landmark study in 2002 linked it with an increased risk of breast cancer.

The use of standard hormone therapy for women suffering hot flashes, mood swings and other symptoms of menopause plunged after a landmark study in 2002 linked it with an increased risk of breast cancer. (iStock photo)

Women using BHRT therapy say they feel more comfortable with bioidenticals because they consider them more natural. the support of celebrities such as actress Suzanne Sommers has also helped fuel its popularity.

“I would never go the traditional hormone replacement. I grew up with natural herbs and that sort of thing,” says Rose Niemirowski, who has been using a bio-identical cream for the past five years.

Her Oshawa-based doctor, Dr. Blake Gibb has been offering the treatment for years and says none of his patients have reported problems. in fact, he says he’s so busy with bio-identical therapy that he turns down about 10 women a day asking for treatment.

“The evidence is in my practice,” he says.

But other doctors are raising flags, warning that unless the hormone estrogen is balanced with progesterone, women could be putting themselves at risk of developing uterine cancer.

“To say it’s bio-identical doesn’t mean it’s safe,” Dr. Richard Boroditsky, a professor at the University of Manitoba’s department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences.

To avoid the risk of uterine cancer most women taking estrogen also need to take progesterone, he says. While most bio-identical therapies use progesterone creams, Dr. Boroditsky says women can’t be sure of the levels of hormones they’re absorbing.

“We’ve known this for years – that if woman takes un-opposed estrogen, she increases her risk eight to 10 times over the normal chances of developing cancer of the uterus,” he says.

The BHRT creams, which are hand-mixed by pharmacists, are untested and unregulated by Health Canada.

The Canadian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the North American Menopause Society and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have all issued statements advising women that these treatments carry the same risks as traditional hormone therapies. They warn that they have not undergone the same rigorous tests for safety and effectiveness.

Winnipeg woman Gail Clisby, who lost her uterus to cancer, says she is living proof there are indeed side effects.

Dr. Boroditsky, who now treats her, told her he believes her cancer might have been caused by a hormone imbalance while using a bio-identical product.

“It wasn’t expressed to me how delicate a balance you need to have,” says Clisby.

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You might not want to broach the topic with a woman in the throes of a hot flash — a menopausal symptom often described as feeling like your body’s been set on fire — but a new study suggests that difficult symptoms of menopause could be a good thing.

In the study of 1,437 postmenopausal women aged 55 to 74, researchers found that those who experienced symptoms of menopause — including hot flashes, night sweats, depression and anxiety — were less likely to develop breast cancer than women who didn’t have any symptoms. In fact, the women who had the most severe and frequent hot flashes had the lowest risk of breast cancer after menopause. (More on Time.com: Study: Antidepressants may Relieve Hot Flashes)

Overall, women with menopausal symptoms were half as likely to develop invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common form of breast cancer, or invasive lobular carcinoma, compared with women who did not suffer menopausal symptoms.

The association persisted even after researchers controlled for other factors linked with cancer like obesity, hormone therapy and smoking. The New York Times’ Well blog reports:

Hot flashes and other symptoms occur when ovarian function declines at menopause and hormone levels drop; the bigger the drop, the more pronounced symptoms may be. even though all women have lower hormone levels after menopause, there is a range, even at these lower levels. The oversimplified explanation, Dr. [Steven R.] Goldstein, [a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University Langone Medical Center] said, is that “estrogen deprivation causes hot flashes, and the lower your estrogen, the less likely you are to have breast cancer.”

While intriguing, the findings are preliminary — meaning that older women should remain vigilant about breast cancer screening regardless of their experience during menopause — and not terribly useful for individual patients. “It’s not like there’s a treatment” for high hormone levels, Dr. Goldstein told the Times, adding: “And there is nothing we can do to make women have more hot flashes.”

The new study was published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

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Q I am a 37-year-old female. I have been told that I have fibrocystic breast tissue (in both breasts). this is an extremely painful condition, but I was told that nothing could be done for it.

The pain has gotten so bad that there are days I can hardly stand it. it has become a problem between my husband and me.

Is there anything you can tell me about this condition? Is there anything I can do about the pain? I have had mammograms, and nothing was found. I can’t stand it anymore!

A Fibrocystic breasts are fairly common, with more than half of all women experiencing fibrocystic changes within their lifetimes. these changes involve the development of cysts, the overgrowth of cells lining the milk ducts (hyperplasia) or the milk-producing tissues (lobules), scarlike tissue (fibrosis) and enlarged breast lobules.

These changes are normal and most often occur in women between ages 20 and 50. Postmenopausal women rarely experience these changes unless they are on hormone therapy.

Symptoms include breast lumps, pain or tenderness, areas of thickening, fluctuating lump size, increasing pain or “lumpiness” from ovulation until just before menstruation and green or dark brown non-bloody nipple discharge.

Women with absent or minor symptoms do not require treatment. Severe pain or large cysts may necessitate therapy. Aspirating cysts is beneficial.

The fluid confirms that the lump is a cyst and not a tumor. it essentially removes the lesion and often reduces the pain. if a cyst continues to return after aspiration, surgical removal may be appropriate.

Pain is often treated with over-the-counter relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Oral contraceptives can ease the pain caused by menstrual cycles. Danazol is a prescription medication that can relieve severe breast pain by mimicking a male sex hormone; however, it can cause acne, excess body hair and more, thus limiting its use.

Home remedies include a low-fat diet, avoiding caffeine, wearing a sports bra during exercise and while sleeping, and using a firm support bra (professionally fitted is best).

Fibrocystic breast changes are not a risk factor for breast cancer; however, because some of the symptoms overlap, it is important to undergo testing to ensure that the lesions caused by the cysts or thickening are not, in fact, caused by cancer or a tumor.

Either return to your physician and demand answers as to why he or she didn’t provide you with this information or request a referral to a gynecologist with experience in diagnosing and treating painful fibrocystic breasts.

Your doctor has dropped the ball. if you would like to learn more about your condition, the Mayo Clinic has an easy-to-understand article online at MayoClinic.com/health/fibrocystic-breasts/DS01070.

Write to Peter Gott, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., Fourth Floor, New York, NY 10016.

a lump dont know what else……….

Cancer of the prostate is often a slow-growing cancer and symptoms may not occur for many years as early prostate cancer is unlikely to have any symptoms, as these only occur when the cancer is large enough to put pressure on the urethra.

Some symptoms can include the following though:
difficulty in passing urine
passing urine more frequently than usual, especially at night
pain when passing urine
blood in the urine (this is not common)

Treatment

For localised (early signs) of prostate cancer that has not spread from the prostate, the treatment options include radiation therapy, brachytherapy, surgery and medical monitoring without any active treatment. For some patients prostate cancer may be contained within the prostate, not metastasising/causing any harm for the duration of their lives – this is the group for which a "watchful/waiting" policy may be recommended.

Where the disease is more advanced and throughout the capsule of the gland, therapy is recommended and the options are: hormone therapy, radiation therapy or both; failing this: chemotherapy may be appropriate. The patient with prostate cancer needs to be informed about the best way to look after their cancer.. in some cases alternative approaches such as complementary medicine, acupuncture and hypnosis may have a role in treatment and managing symptoms.

The symptoms are

having to rush to the toilet to pass urine

passing urine more often and/or at night

difficulty starting the flow of urine

starting and stopping whilst passing urine

a feeling of not having emptied the bladder fully

dribbling of urine

blood in urine or semen

pain in the back, hips or pelvis

Treatment depends on the individual case, but can include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

Prostate cancer is extremely rare in men under 50; over 80% of men diagnosed with it are over 65 and half of all cases occur in men over 75.

I am not sure of the symptoms but the treatment in the early stage are pills, maybe radiation of Chemo.. or an operation will settle the treatment.. if this is you good luck and God bless… Grant M

My father in law said his only clue was having to urinate all of the time. he was treated with 2 types of chemo therapy and 6 weeks of intense radiation and now he has been in remission for over a year

Public release date: 2-Dec-2010 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Susan Ipaktchiansusani@stanford.edu650-725-5375Stanford University Medical Center

STANFORD, Calif. ? Doctors across the country are still prescribing higher-dose menopausal hormone therapy pills, despite clinical evidence that low doses and skin patches work just as well and carry fewer health risks. That’s what researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine found in a study that will be published online Dec. 2 in Menopause: the Journal of the North American Menopause Society.

Doctors have been treating the symptoms of menopause with hormone therapy for decades. during menopause, the ovaries decrease their estrogen production, and women experience symptoms to varying degrees; for some, symptoms are non-existent while for others they are debilitating. In the United States last year, formulations of estrogen and progestin hormones helped more than 6 million women who had symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbance and irritability.

Still, there are risks. In 2002, a large, placebo-controlled clinical trial by the Women’s Health Initiative ? which tested the higher-dose, oral estrogen-plus-progestin therapy ? was halted because of the increased incidence of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease in women taking the hormones. the results contradicted the clinical wisdom of the time: that hormone therapy could help protect against heart disease. Since that trial, there has been evidence indicating that a lower dose of hormones can treat menopausal symptoms just as effectively in many women with minimal side effects ? and “may incur lower risks of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease,” said Sandra Tsai, MD, MPH, clinical instructor of medicine and lead author of the new study.

The latest findings from Stanford researchers show that as of 2009, physicians’ practices weren’t keeping up with this clinical evidence about lower hormone doses, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends. “We’re disappointed,” said the paper’s senior author Randall Stafford, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. “Yes, there was an increase in the use of low-dose preparations, but it was not sizeable.”

To conduct the study, the researchers analyzed survey data collected from physicians between 2001 and 2009 by the IMS National Disease and Therapeutic Index (a commercial data source from IMS Health Inc.). the database reflects prescriptions that are issued as a result of outpatient visits to physician offices.

While the Stanford researchers found that the use of lower-dose therapy did increase between 2001 and 2009, it was not nearly enough to suggest that physicians were fully incorporating the new evidence into everyday practice. About two-thirds of women with menopausal symptoms are likely to respond to low-dose therapy, Stafford said, so he and his colleagues were surprised that not even one-third of the women taking hormone therapy in 2009 were on a low dose.

That’s a marked contrast to the response to the 2002 trial findings. After those initial results were publicized, the number of women with prescriptions for the higher-dose menopausal hormone therapy declined sharply ? it fell by 47 percent between 2001 and 2004, according to the Stanford study. “This is our best example of clinical trial findings dramatically changing practice,” said Stafford. the new study also showed that the decline continued, albeit much more gradually, between 2004 and 2009.

In addition to the research on the effects of low-dose hormone therapy, recent studies have also established that delivering hormones through the skin with a small patch, called transdermal delivery, reduces risk of serious health problems such as blood clots. Because of that, the Stanford team had expected more of the women on hormone therapy would be using transdermal hormones in 2009 than in 2001. But the data showed no meaningful change at all. “We thought that over time there might be greater tailoring of therapy based on characteristics of the individual woman,” said Stafford. “The bottom line is that over time we didn’t see the level of refinement in clinical practice that we expected.”

Stafford and his colleagues had also expected that for women who needed treatment for menopausal symptoms, physicians would start prescribing hormone therapy during or just after menopause more often. the data, however, showed that in 2009, like in 2001, the preponderance of women on the drugs were older, and thus at greater risk for adverse effects.

The study reached no definite conclusions about why clinical practice has not caught up with research findings. perhaps physicians made adjustments after the 2002 trial, and that “clinical inertia” led them to maintain their prescribing practices since that time, the study said. It’s possible that older women who have been on hormone therapy for many years are satisfied with their results, don’t want to risk recurring symptoms and don’t realize that the risks of breast cancer and heart disease increase with age, Stafford suggested. maybe doctors who are familiar with the immediate benefits of higher-dose hormone therapy in relieving menopausal symptoms are reluctant to change, said Tsai.

“It takes too long to disseminate research into practice,” Tsai added. “It helps when findings are presented in the media and when physicians discuss findings with their patients.” she suggested that cooperation between research institutions, drug companies and professional societies could help produce consistent clinical guidelines and find the best ways to disseminate the information to both physicians and patients. “There needs to be a lot of collaboration to make this work.”

“It takes a huge event to change clinical practice,” Stafford said. “We haven’t had that big, well-controlled clinical trial hitting the front page of the newspapers, demonstrating that the risks of standard-dose estrogen and progestin therapies are potentially much higher than at lower doses.”

The other co-author of this study is Marcia Stefanick, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. the study was funded by grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Information about Stanford’s Department of Medicine, which also supported the research, is available at medicine.stanford.edu/.

The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation’s top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit mednews.stanford.edu. the medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. For information about all three, please visit stanfordmedicine.org/about/news.html.

PRINT MEDIA CONTACT: Susan Ipaktchian at (650) 725-5375 () BROADCAST MEDIA CONTACT: M.A. Malone at (650) 723-6912 ()

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A doctor visit for menopause is not just a chance to talk about hot flashes. While your gynecological health is certainly in the spotlight, menopause for many women is also a wake-up call to pay attention to cardiovascular disease risks and osteoporosis.

Use this time to check in with the doctor no matter how much or how little you've seen the doctor before. Keep in mind that menopause is a normal part of aging, just like puberty or pregnancy. Bring up your symptoms, but also talk about other health concerns.

Should I talk about hormone therapy?Tell your doctor about any menopausal symptoms that are interfering with your day-to-day function.

If symptoms, such as hot flashes and trouble sleeping, are really bothering you, you may want to talk to your doctor about treatment options. Symptoms occur around menopause when your body gradually stops ovulating and makes less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Hormone therapy (HT) does not replace or make up for the hormones your ovaries no longer produce. rather, low levels of hormones are used only to control symptoms. there are risks involved with taking hormones. so the most important guiding principle if HT is suggested is to take the lowest effective dose of medicine for the shortest period of time.

What else should I cover at my doctor appointment?Discuss your medical and family medical history. your doctor will talk about your risks for heart disease, osteoporosis and breast cancer. You'll have a physical exam, including a gynecological exam and clinical breast exam.

You may discuss non-hormone, alternative treatment for any bothersome menopause symptoms. if your doctor thinks that you will benefit from hormone treatment, you'll discuss the risks, options available to you and how hormone treatment may help.

What questions should I ask my doctor?Here are questions to ask your doctor:

How long will my symptoms last?

Every woman's menopause experience is unique. but on average, most symptoms stop within five years. many women, though, have bothersome symptoms longer.

Could my menopause symptoms be related to another medical condition?

Menopause symptoms are normal. but sometimes these same signs may be due to other medical conditions. so your doctor will take a thorough medical history and may check your thyroid gland, urinary tract and other body systems.

What is my risk for heart disease?

Awareness of your own heart disease risks is very important as you approach menopause. The loss of natural estrogen after menopause may raise your risk of heart disease. your doctor will check your cholesterol (high cholesterol is a heart disease risk), suggest that you quit smoking (if you're a smoker) or lose weight if needed.

What is my risk for osteoporosis?

The loss of estrogen can contribute to bone loss. your doctor will want to know if you're getting enough calcium and vitamin D, which are important for building strong bones. also ask about weight-bearing exercise, which also helps strengthen bones.

How can hormone therapy help symptoms?

Your doctor may advise a short course of hormone treatment if you have severe symptoms such as moderate or severe hot flashes and night sweats. For vaginal dryness, your doctor may suggest a vaginal estrogen product.

Do you recommend I take hormone therapy to prevent osteoporosis?

While HT can help prevent osteoporosis, it is not the first choice to prevent the disease. Calcium, vitamin D and possibly medications (such as the bisphosphonates) are usually effective and have fewer risks.

Who should not take hormone therapy?

Using HT depends on several factors. The first is age. you should not take HT if you are too many years past menopause. if you have a history of breast or uterine cancer – or are at risk for these cancers – you should avoid hormone therapy. you should also not take HT if you have a history of blood clots, liver problems, heart disease or risks for heart disease.

How long should I stay on the therapy?

Most doctors advise that you take it only for the shortest period possible and not longer than longer than five years.

What follow-up tests will I need? how often will I need to take each test?

Whether you take HT or not, it's important to keep your appointments. For example, you may need fasting cholesterol test and other bloodwork as part of routine screening. also, get your blood pressure checked as often as your doctor suggests.

What are other alternatives to hormone therapy?

Most women find that their symptoms lessen when they take extra care to live a healthier lifestyle and lower their stress. This includes daily exercise, limiting alcohol and caffeine and eating well.

There is not enough evidence to know whether natural remedies like soy or black cohosh help.

Remember that menopause is normal, and usually doesn't require any treatment at all. if you and your doctor decide on hormone therapy, then you should take the smallest effective dose for the shortest amount of time.

Check in with your doctor on a regular basis to review your health and your risk profile, which may change over time.

SOURCES:

• American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Hormone therapy. Accessed: 12/11/2009
• National Women's Health Information Center. Understanding menopause. Treatment and talking to your doctor. Accessed: 12/11/2009
• National Institutes of Health. Women's Health Initiative. Questions and answers about the WHI postmenopausal hormone therapy trials. Accessed: 12/11/2009
• North American Menopause Society. The hormone therapy story. Accessed: 12/11/2009
• American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Menopause Guidelines Revision Task Force. AACE Medical guidelines for clinical practice for the diagnosis and treatment of menopause. Endocrine Practice. 2006;12(3): 315-337.

View the original Talking to your doctor about menopause article on myOptumHealth.com

SOMERSET, N.J. /eNewsChannels/ — from the blogosphere to mainstream media, there’s been a recent-and disturbing-buzz on a connection between hormone replacement therapy and a higher risk for advanced-stage breast cancer in post-menopausal women. The recent media focus stems from a study published in the October 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Practitioners from Belvidere Pharmacy and Balancing Health, both experts in women’s health, examine the issue.

Hormone Therapy, or HT, is often used to treat women suffering from the effects of menopause. As a woman ages, her body produces less estrogen, progesterone and testosterone – creating an imbalance in hormones that often results in hot flashes, sleeplessness, vaginal dryness and fatigue, to name just a few symptoms.

The recent publication is part of follow-up evaluation from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study which began in 1991. Researchers collected data from more than 12,000 women, and found that there was an increase in breast cancer: 385 women on HT developed the disease, as opposed to 293 who took a placebo. The WHI follow-up shows marginally higher breast cancer death rates in the women who took combination synthetic HT.

Breast cancer is the most commonly feared disease in women, so a study of this type makes for a very newsworthy story. But in the wake of public concern, experts warn that the media has told only part of the story. for many patients, the amount of information available about HT is overwhelming, and this recent study in JAMA only adds to anxiety.

To understand the WHI study fully, it is important to understand the design and several key factors that temper the conclusions. A critical factor of the study was the TYPE and DOSAGE of hormones used – specifically, a fixed, oral dose of horse estrogens (Premarin®) and chemically altered progesterone (Provera®) was taken by all the participants in the group randomized to test the designated medications.

“Many times, when a study such as this is released, the media reports only the highlights, without presenting the limitations of those findings,” said Mary K. Powderly, MD, a board-certified gynecologist and hormone replacement specialist who practices functional medicine with Balancing Health in Somerset, NJ. “With treatment as important as HT, it is critical to have all the facts as well as the knowledge to interpret the studies. it is also important to put these findings in perspective so as not to cause alarm. in terms of absolute rates, the risk of cancer is low.”

“To be clear, there is a definite link between long-term use of synthetic and equine hormones and a small but significant increase in breast cancer risk,” said Powderly. “this study demonstrates that the detection of breast cancer in those taking the drug was similar in cell type and grade compared to breast cancer in the no drug group but the drug group was more likely to have lymph node involvement. it is important to question why that was. for example, did increased breast density, a common side effect of excessive or unbalanced HT, factor in preventing early cancer detection. Also there is some evidence that synthetic progestins may stimulate growth of new blood vessels which could facilitate tumor growth and metastasis.”

“These hormones are not bio-identical to humans,” said Shara Rudner, president of Belvidere Pharmacy in North Plainfield. Rudner is a compounding pharmacist-a highly trained specialist who formulates custom medications for patients. she is an expert in hormone therapies for both women and men.

“Equine estrogens are extracted from the urine of pregnant mares, and medroxyprogesterone is a synthetic hormone-like drug,” said Rudner. “they don’t have the same chemical or molecular structure as the estrogens and progesterone made by the human body.”

Rudner also pointed out that the equine estrogens and medroxyprogesterone in the study are given to patients orally, which has been shown to increase a patient’s risk for blood clots, in addition to other health problems. An alternative, she said, is to give patients transdermal hormones – gels and creams applied easily to the wrist, where low-doses of hormones are absorbed through the skin.

According to Rudner, measuring the patient’s hormonal level and replacing with transdermal, bio-identical hormone therapy (BHT), as needed, is the application of choice among many hormone specialists.

Powderly emphasized that the WHI study fell short on another very important fact. “Since a requirement of the study was for women to be at least 10 years post menopause, the average age of women in the study was 63. Thus, the study population was about a decade or two older than the average age of 45-55 when menopause begins. Since the primary risk factor for breast cancer is age, the older women were at higher risk. in women aged 50-59, the overall mortality rates with hormone therapy appeared to be slightly reduced.”

Powderly also stressed that women need to conduct regular breast self-exams, have scheduled mammograms, follow up testing as directed, and to visit their physicians on a regular basis to monitor breast health.

For women in menopause, HT can help relieve or lessen symptoms such as night sweats, moodiness, sleeping issues, foggy thinking and more. Estrogen has been shown to improve cholesterol ratios as well as protect women from osteoporosis and colorectal cancer. “Estrogen must be balanced by progesterone,” said Powderly. “The key is balance.”

Powderly explained that hormone replacement is a specialty and, when conducted properly, relies on a highly individual approach to each patient. before a patient is given a dose of any hormone, her own hormonal levels should be measured. no one would think about supplementing thyroid hormones without first measuring levels and following up with monitoring after the hormone was given. Why, Powderly observed, would ovarian hormones be any different?

For patients who want to explore the benefits of HT, it is important for them to find a board-certified gynecologist who is trained in integrative medicine. According to both Powderly and Rudner, proper HT care should include a complete evaluation of signs and symptoms, medical history, assessment of current hormone levels, development of a personalized plan to replace deficient hormones, and follow-up hormonal monitoring. Together, the physician and compounding pharmacist can monitor and tweak the patient’s therapy, establishing and maintaining hormonal balance.

“Low-dose, transdermal, biologically identical HT can have tremendous benefits for many patients,” said Powderly. “There is no reason why a woman shouldn’t explore its advantages with a qualified physician.”

About Belvidere Pharmacy:

Belvidere Pharmacy is a registered pharmacy in new York, new Jersey, and Connecticut and has been serving its community since 1959. Shara Rudner – a fellow of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists, a fellow and regional director of the American College of Apothecaries, a fellow of the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists and secretary of the new Jersey Academy of Compounding Pharmacists-has been owner and president of Belvidere since 1996. under her leadership, Belvidere became an exclusive compounding pharmacy more than a decade ago. for more information about Belvidere Pharmacy, visit belviderepharmacy.com .

Belvidere Pharmacy has been a PCAB accredited™ compounding pharmacy since 2007. for more information about PCAB accreditation visit pcab.org .

About Balancing Health:

Balancing Health provides individually tailored, integrative health management. Areas of specialty include gynecology, endocrinology, anti-aging, primary preventative care, health education, pain relief and weight loss management. Medical director, Mary K. Powderly, MD, is a board-certified gynecologist and hormone replacement specialist. for contact information, visit balancinghealthnj.com .

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Copr. © 2010 eNewsChannels™ and Aria Munro.Related Topics: Business, News: Pharma, Newsdesk, State: new Jersey. Tags: Belvidere Pharmacy, Opinion and Commentary, PCAB accredited, Shara Rudner, Somerset, Women’s InterestsPermalink for this story: enewschannels.com/2010/12/09/enc12565_070010.phpImportant Note: for questions or clarification about any information in the above news item or article, contact the company mentioned in the story and NOT this website. this online publication, eNewsChannels™, cannot assist you with information regarding any person, product, company or opinion expressed or mentioned in the above news story.