Hormones Linked to Ovarian Cancer: What to Do
Reader Comments
Live Webcast!
In honor of September being National Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, this Friday, September 18, 2009 at 12:30 PM, we will be holding our Third Annual Live Webcast on Ovarian Cancer. The webcast will be held at the Omni Parker House Hotel (60 School Street) in Boston in the Press Room. Coalition members, survivors and doctors will be answering your questions. To view the live webcast, visit www.ovariancancerawareness.org and click under the event “Live Webcast” where it states, “click here to watch.” You will then be asked to log in with your name. The live feed will begin at 12:00 PM and the broadcast will start at 12:30 PM.
Problems with the Conclusion
I read the abstract for this study andin the context they report that the data for differential effects of formulations, regimens and routes of administration are sparse. Based on just this, it does not seem possible that they can come to the Conclusion that "regardless of the... formulation, regimen, progestin type,(not natural progesterone)or route of administration that there is an increased risk of ovarian cancer. There are some pretty blatant contradictions in just these 2 statements. The study may or may not offer any useful information in its results, but I'm betting not because there does not appear to be any focus.
bioidentical information
"Deborah Kotz responds
The "bioidentical" hormone information came from an email directly from the researcher regarding a question I posed about this."
Thank you.
Interesting, and yet still strange.
You would think that there would be science and comparative numbers behind the claim somewhere in the published paper.
Perhaps the data is part of a future paper?
The way the body breaks down the "progestins" (progesterone mimicking patentable drugs mentioned in the paper) differs from the way human progesterone is broken down, and one would not assume the risks to be the same unless proven.
BHRT
After suffering for almost 12 years, I finally have achieved an answer and help from the issues I had been experiencing. Bio identical HRT has put me on the path to recovery. High estrogen levels have been related to breast cancer. My estrogen level was off the chart. My other hormone levels were out of whack too. I have been on BHRT for 3 months. I will not go on without it. Unfortunately, my therapy isn't approved by the FDA because my BHRT medicine is mixed especially for me. Which is the way it should be. No two women's levels are the same and the meds
should be prescribed just for their hormone inbalance.
Bio identical hormones
I rejected HRT approximately 14 years ago, when I asked the Doctor if there were established base levels for estrogen and did they do blood levels before they started the treatment. When he said no to both questions, they were giving a one size fits all dose, I declined. Durning this same period of time I was receiving the Harvard Womans Health Newsletter and noticed a small article about a research study they had done with Korean Ginsing. Seems it fit T-cell receptors the same way estrogen did. I started taking approximately 450 to 500 miligrams daily and it helped with a lot of the menopause symptoms I was having; mood swings, night sweats, cramps, hot flashes. I was 54 at the time, stopped taking the ginsing about 6 years later on a regular basis. I had been taking approximately 1000 miligrams of mixed (Chinese/Korean) ginsing a day 10 years earlier; started menopause during that period of time, didn't really have a lot of hot flashes, did have a lot of cold flashes. I did have a lot of cold flashes, that is it would be 110 and all of a sudden I would be freezing, get goose bumps. I've always wondered if other women experienced that.
Deborah Kotz responds
The "bioidentical" hormone information came from an email directly from the researcher regarding a question I posed about this.
A strange claim
"Unfortunately, bioidentical hormones—which have been touted by some as safer than traditional hormone therapy—are associated with the same increased ovarian cancer risk. Women in the Danish study all took estradiol
, a bioidentical hormone that has the same chemical structure as estrogen made by the body. And there was no difference in cancer risk between women who took non-identical synthetic progestin and those who took bioidentical progesterone."
Where did this information come from???
There is nothing in reading the actual study in JAMA (that I saw) that shows a differential breakdown that includes bioidentical progesterone. Plese cite actual words and numbers.
HRT Personally
I can only speak for myself but I honestly do not believe that replacing in your body something that was stopped due to surgical intervention or simply diminished functioning that is required in all healthy bodies will result in more cancer.
As a cancer survivor, I am completely certain that without receiving replacement levels of the hormones that my body is no longer able to make in sufficient quantities I would be dead. Hormones help every body to regulate nearly every function in the human body.
No doubt the study cited is built upon a set of criteria designed to uphold the previous studies sponsored by big pharma. Almost instantly, it occurred to me while reading the article that there was no discussion about dosage or equilibrium of maintenance or HRT. From manhy, many visits to many, many doctors, I have found that NONE provide counseling, testing & advice to determine just what the appropriate dosages should be--just what are a body's deficiencies and how much is necessary to bring the "numbers" back into a normal/high range of functioning. Most doctors (including endocrinologists) fail to diagnose the problem and nearly immediately dismiss symptoms as something to manage over the short term. Hormones MUST be given equal consideration in the body. It is foolish to simply add one which may be low and not look how that one will be affected by the interaction of all the other hormones in the body.
Why is it that only female hormones are made to be the culprit? Why are there no doctors who perform analyses to determine appropriate levels of all hormones in a patient's body? Why does every doctor simply want to throw a pill at it?
When men's hormonal levels are found to be low, it is determined what a better level would be to ensure that the hormone will effectively interact with all other hormones in his body.
Women's homonal concerns are not high on any doctors' priorities. I was actually told by one endocrinologist that: frankly, he was glad that gynocologists were simply giving out estrogen as he doesn't have time for them (meaning women). On the other hand, he treats my husband with the utmost respect.
Although I have been diagnosed with "chronic" ovarian cancer--I am still alive. Nearly six years have passed and I am still fighting even though I was never expected to make it. My survival thus far is very much a cummulation of factors, none of which is larger than my maintaining of hormone levels that were orignally taken from me through surgery. I was not in menopause then and I am not now--nor do I intend to go there without one hell of a fight!
Bio identical hormones
I went through menopause and found that taking a calcium supplement with all the extras helped me a lot.
I was able to sleep and the hot flashes went a way if i do not take it regularly. My symptoms come back not as bad but sleep alludes me and cramps in my legs and hands are very bad. The bottom of my feet will hurt when I walk.
I take a calcium called buried treasures it works for me.
I hope this will help.
I think this is something that the medical environment should look at.
The calcium I take may not be the right formula so look around. I also take it as a liquid, your body absorbed liquids easier.
Enlisting your doctor as your partner in managing menopause
19 years ago I at the age of 43 I entered menopause and began having some minor sypmtoms. My doctor offered me HRT but I refused. Three years later the symptoms got so bad that I woke up every 20 minutes throughout the night. The next morning I called my doctor went on HRT. Within a week all symptoms had disappeared. Even then we knew there was an increased risk of breast cancer and I remember saying how I'd rather have my mind than my breast. After I was on the regimen for 3 years I was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer. Over the years I have met many women who were on hormone replacement of one form or another who developed ovarian cancer. Most of them are dead. I am one of the few who survived her diagnosed.
I do completely understand the need for relief of menopausal symptoms but before anyone goes on HRT they should first investigate ovarian cancer and what the issues are surrounding the disease. Personally I would advise women to stay away from any form of estrogen replacement regardless of the type until there is proof that it is safe and that there is NO increased risk of ovarian cancer. It's an incidious disease and even though I survived, I've been left with issues from the very toxic treatment I had to undergo. If someone close to me needed to do this, I would tell them to get a complete gynecological workup including a bimanual exam, a transvaginal sonogram and a ca125 test first. At least know there is nothing lurking before starting the therapy.
For information on ovarian cancer go to www.cancer.gov and put ovarian cancer in the search box. Get educated before you make a decision. It may save your life.
