By Dr. Richard Chern, MD
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer in women and the second leading cause of death from cancer in women. Metastatic breast cancer tends to invade the bone causing intense pain and invades the brain causing dementia and memory loss. It is not a pleasant way to finish your days. Breast cancer survivors will tell you that the return of breast cancer is something that weighs on their mind anytime something seems different. A catch in your back, a weird cough, or any number of minor issues can trigger that fear that the cancer might be returning. In addition, cancer treatments are invasive, painful and life altering. Prevention is really the key to survival.
But what is the likelihood of a woman getting breast cancer? When you look at all women, the risk seems relatively low. The rate of breast cancer in women is about 2.6%, but this number is deceptive because this is the risk for all women. What is my risk of breast cancer? This is the question women really want to know the answer to. There are many factors involved, but advancing age is a major factor and the risk of breast cancer with advancing age can be as high as 16%.
The Women’s Health Initiative was a study started in 1991 and stopped in 2005. It originally reported that giving estrogen to postmenopausal women increased their risk of breast cancer. Unfortunately, this report was not entirely accurate. What this study showed was that women who received synthetic estrogen (estrins) have a higher incidence of breast cancer while women who received bio-identical estrogen (estradiol) actually had a lower risk of breast cancer. This change has been published, but was not reported with the fervor of the original reports. As well, not only did these women have a lower risk of breast cancer, but also a lower risk of strokes and heart attacks as well.
A recent study was published in 2019 which looked at breast cancer risk in women who received testosterone pellet therapy. Yes, testosterone. Women have an idea that they don’t need testosterone, but this is not true. In fact, women make testosterone in the ovaries and much of this testosterone gets converted to estrogen. So, women make more testosterone than estrogen. Anyway, the women in this study were followed for over 10 years. It turns out that the incidence of breast cancer in the women who received testosterone therapy was 40% lower than the women who did not receive testosterone.
So, now you see that both bio-identical estrogen and bio-identical testosterone reduce the risk of breast cancer. This doesn’t even touch on the benefits to bone density, heart health, prevention of depression and anxiety, increases in libido and the many other proven benefits of both estrogen and testosterone therapy.
If you are concerned about your health and wellness, please come see us.
Dr. Richard Chern, MD not only provides hormone therapy to men and women, but also teaches hormone therapy to doctors across the country. In addition, he treats many of the doctors in the area, is a platinum BioTE provider and runs one of the largest BioTE hormone clinics in the country right here in Miramar Beach. Call today for an appointment at 850-837-1271.
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