Hormone Replacement Therapy and Cancer

Even five years after women in a landmark study stopped taking hormone replacement pills, they have an increased risk of lung and breast cancer, according to new research published by the American Medical Association. The AP reports today:

The authors said the new results send the same message they've been advocating ever since the study ended: Health risks from estrogen-progestin pills outweigh their benefits, and they should only be used to relieve hot flashes and other menopause symptoms, in the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible duration.

It's yet another example of how artificial hormones can mess up our health. The much-touted promises of replacement hormones, once thought to be a sort of fountain of youth to protect us against heart diseases and other ravages of aging, turned out to be a whole lot of hype, and worse. In fact, the study of women taking the pills was halted early because of elevated health risks.

The Skinny: A few hot flashes are better than cancer. Don't take HRT.