HRT increases incidence and deaths from ovarian cancer

THURSDAY 19 APRIL 2007

폐경증상 개선을 위한 호르몬대체요법(HRT, hormone replacement therapy)이 난소암 발병 위험을 현저히 높이는 것으로 나타났다.

이 같은 사실은 옥스포드대학 베럴 박사팀이 'the Million Women Study'의 연구결과를 분석한 결과 나타난 사실로 1,000명 이상의 여성이 1991-2005년 사이 호르몬대체요법에 의한 난소암으로 사망한 것으로 나타났다.

'란셋'에 발표된 이번 연구에서 호르몬대체요법이 난소암및 유방암, 자궁암 발병 위험을 높이는 것으로 나타났다.

2003년의 당시 'the Million Women Study' 연구에 의하면 병합호르몬대체요법이 유방암 발병 위험을 두 배 가량 높이는 것으로 나타난 바 있다.

이번 연구에서 연구팀은 948,576명의 폐경이 지난 여성의 자료를 검토한 결과 호르몬대체요법 사용자에서 난소암 발병율과 이로 인한 사망 위험이 이 같은 호르몬대체요법을 전혀 받지 않았던 여성에 비해 20% 높은 것으로 나타났다.

이 같은 결과로 볼때 호르몬대체요법을 받는 2,500명의 여성당 난소암이 1명 이상에서 발병하며 또한 3,300명의 호르몬대체요법 사용자당 1명 이상이 난소암으로 사망하는 것으로 나타났다.

이번 연구에서 이 같은 난소암 발병및 사망 위험은 모든 종류의 호르몬대체요법에 해당하는 것으로 나타났다.

또한 호르몬대체요법을 받는 여성들의 난소암 위험은 이 같은 치료를 중단시 몇 년 안에 정상으로 돌아오는 것으로 나타났다.

연구팀은 이번 연구결과에 대해 호르몬대체요법이 난소암 발병 위험 뿐 아니라 사망위험도 높인다는 점에서 우려스럽다고 말했다.

연구팀은 전체적으로 난소암, 유방암, 자궁암이 영국 여성암의 40%를 차지하는 가운데 이 세 암의 발병율은 호르몬대체요법을 받은 여성에서 63%가량 높다고 말했다.

이에대해 영국 정부는 이로 인해 현재의 권장지침이 변화되어서는 안되며 여성들은 가능한 최소 기간 이 같은 호르몬대체요법을 받아야 한다고 말했다.  

HRT increases incidence and deaths from ovarian cancer

THURSDAY 19 APRIL 2007

Women who take hormone replacement therapy are more likely to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and to die of the disease, according to a study published in the Lancet* today.

Results from the Million Women Study, which is the biggest study of its kind in the world, show that over five years there is one extra case of ovarian cancer in every 2,500 women who take HRT. And for every 3,300 women who take HRT, there will be one additional death from ovarian cancer.

The researchers, who are largely funded by Cancer Research UK, estimate that use of HRT since 1991 has resulted in an extra 1,300 cases and 1,000 deaths from ovarian cancer.

The study also suggests that a woman's risk of ovarian cancer returns to a normal level within a few years of stopping HRT.

Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in the UK with almost 7,000 new cases each year. The five year survival rate for the disease is less than 30 per cent which reflects the fact that ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage.

Lead researcher, Professor Valerie Beral director of Cancer Research UK's epidemiology unit at the University of Oxford, said: "The results of this study are worrying because they show that not only does HRT increase the risk of getting ovarian cancer, it also increases a woman's risk of dying of ovarian cancer.

"This study, along with our previous research, clearly demonstrates the cancer risks of taking HRT."

Previous results from the Million Women Study have linked the use of HRT with breast and endometrial cancer (cancer of the womb lining). Combined with ovarian cancer, these three diseases account for almost 40 per cent of all cancers in women in the UK and 25 per cent of cancer deaths.

The overall incidence of these three cancers in women who take HRT is 31 cases for every 1,000 women over five years. This compares with 19 cases in women who have never taken HRT.

The Million Women Study represents a quarter of all women aged 50 to 64 in the UK. This research involved nearly 950,000 women in that age group. Around a third of the women were taking HRT and a further fifth had taken it in the past. The women were followed up for an average of almost seven years.

The research showed that the risk of ovarian cancer was increased regardless of which kind of HRT the women were taking.

Professor John Toy, Cancer Research UK’s medical director said: "This study clearly shows that taking HRT increases a woman’s chance of getting ovarian cancer and her chances of dying from the disease.

"Considering this alongside the increases in risk for breast and endometrial cancer, women should think very carefully about whether to take HRT. And women who chose to take HRT should aim do so for clear medical need and for the shortest possible time."

ENDS

For media enquiries, contact the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 7061 8300 or, out of hours, the duty press officer on 07050 264 059.

Notes to editors:

*Lancet 2007 – doi.10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60534-0

For more information on ovarian cancer, visit CancerHelp UK.