S1 Ep31: The Truth About Estrogen Therapy and Breast Cancer

The number one reason women give for not taking estrogen is fear of breast cancer. This fear is based on the 2002 study which has been reevaluated and shown to be flawed in a number of ways. Despite solid proof that estrogen therapy does not cause breast cancer and other serious illness, most doctors continue to exaggerate the risks and undersell the benefits of hormone therapy. The goal of this episode is not to convince you to take estrogen. The goal is to present the data so that you can make an informed decision. 

In this episode, Dr. Streicher discusses: 

• The original PURPOSE of the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) and how the study was designed. 
• The INITIAL RESULTS of the WHI study
• Why the design of the study was PROBLEMATIC
• Why the results of the WHI were NOT REPRESENTATIVE of the women who take hormone therapy today
• The results of the RE-ANALYSIS of the WHI
• How the age of women in the study, the timing of therapy, and the use of statins altered CARDIOVASCULAR data
• Why the use of PROGESTIN and the kind of progestin in the study changed the results. 
• Why TRANSDERMAL estrogens have less risk and who should use one
• The FACTS about the relationship of estrogen and BREAST CANCER
• The risk of hormone therapy COMPARED to other known risks for breast cancer
• The medical impact of women NOT taking HT
• GUIDELINES for taking hormone therapy safely

For more information on this topic:

Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat has a more complete discussion of the results of the WHI and includes pros and cons of every type of estrogen currently on the market. 

Episode 1: Is It Menopause or Some Other Pause?

Episode 2:Think Your Hot Flashes Can't Kill You? Think Again!

Episode 11: Vaginal Estrogen is Not Poison

Episode 28: The BEST approach for BREAST Cancer Screening and Risk Reduction 

Lauren Streicher, MD is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and the medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause. She is a certified menopause practitioner of the North American Menopause Society. 

Dr. Streicher is the medical correspondent for Chicago’s top-rated news program, the WGNMorningNews, and has been seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, NPR, Dr.Radio,Nightline, Fox and Friends, The Steve Harvey Show, CBS ThisMorning,ABCNewsNow, NBCNightlyNews,20/20, and WorldNewsTonight. She is an expert source for many magazines and serves on the medical advisory board of The Kinsey Institute, Self Magazine, and Prevention Magazine. She writes a regular column for The Ethel by AARP and Prevention Magazine. 

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Books by Lauren Streicher, MD

 Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina-A gynecologist’s guide to eliminating post-menopause dryness and pain

Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat

Sex Rx- Hormones , Health, and Your Best Sex Ever

The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy