Endocrine Section, 251 Hellenic Air-Force and VA General Hospital, 115 25 Athens, Greece
The female breast is subject to a lifetime of hormonal control.
After menopause, breast tissue becomes quiescent when estrogens
drop to low levels. Menopause-associated hormonal decreases
produce short- and long-term consequences that can be treated
successfully by hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Despite the
beneficial effects of HRT, the potential risk of breast cancer
is a concern of both women and physicians. The available data
indicate that HRT administered for longer than 5 years moderately
increases the risk of breast cancer, but overall the benefits
outweigh the potential risk.
