Adding Progestin Hormone to Estrogen Therapy Protects a Woman's Uterus from Pre-Cancer Changes

BETHESDA--The addition of the hormone progestin to the estrogen therapy of postmenopausal women protects their wombs (uteruses) from developing changes of the lining, which can lead to cancer, according to a recent multicenter study sponsored by the National Institute of Health.

Estrogen therapy is commonly administered to women after menopause in order to treat postmenopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes. Estrogen has also been clearly shown to prevent osteoporosis and reduce heart disease risk.

Estrogen therapy has previously been shown to cause cancer of the uterus and precancerous changes in the lining of the uterus. Women with these precancerous changes can eventually develop cancer of the uterus.

In a 3 year study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Howard L. Judd, M.D. and associates described their data which evaluated the effects of estrogen given to 875 healthy postmenopausal women. The study evaluated the uterus biopsies of these women while they were taking estrogen with or without various combinations of progestin, given either in cycles for the first 12 days of the month or continuously.

Results of the study clearly demonstrate that combining progestin with estrogen has a protective effect against pre-cancerous changes of the uterus in women taking estrogen. Further, in those women who took estrogen alone and developed these changes, treating with prolonged progestin caused the changes to revert to normal.

The authors concluded that the administration of progestin hormone should be considered for postmenopausal women taking estrogen in order to protect them from cancer of the uterus. For additional information visit the CANCER, UTERUS site of MedicineNet.

Last Editorial Review: 7/7/2004