- Four in five women are unaware of the cancer risks of increasing their HRT doses
Four in five women are unaware that taking higher-than-prescribed doses of HRT drugs that contain estrogen may increase their risk of uterine cancer, a study found.
While hormone replacement therapy is safe within recommended levels, The Mail on Sunday revealed last month that many women are taking megadoses to deal with menopausal symptoms after seeing advice on social media.
A GP leader said she regularly sees patients who have increased their medication intake beyond the safety limits set by HRT makers, and blamed misleading messages online that ‘more is better’ to prevent symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings and brain fog. Reduce.
Research from the gynecological cancer organization The Eve Appeal found that most women are unaware of the risks of taking too much estrogen – a female sex hormone that declines with age and causes most menopausal symptoms. The charity said its research – which surveyed 2,000 women in Britain – shows the need to educate women about the link between excess estrogen and uterine cancer, which affects nearly 10,000 women each year.
Half the population will experience it, but as millions of women in Britain know all too well, menopause is often seen even by doctors as something to go through (Stock image)
Excess estrogen can also be caused by health conditions such as obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and has also been linked to ovarian and breast cancer.
“Factors that increase estrogen levels in the body – conditions such as PCOS and drugs such as HRT – therefore increase the risk of these cancers,” says Dr Aziza Sesay, a GP who works with The Eve Appeal. “Being aware of this and learning how to reduce this risk is lifesaving.”
HRT contains compounds similar to the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Usually it is prescribed to women in patch, gel or spray form and the drug is absorbed through the skin.
Experts say excessive amounts of the hormone can cause anxiety, palpitations and mood swings. Patients may also suffer from tachyphylaxis, requiring increasing levels of hormonal treatment to feel ‘normal’.
In the longer term, if the doses of estrogen and progesterone are not taken in the right balance, the uterine lining can thicken – known as endometrial hyperplasia. This can lead to heavy bleeding and increase the risk of uterine cancer.
Last month, Dr Katie Barber, who heads a GP-run NHS gynecology service in Oxfordshire, told the MoS that ‘around one in 10’ of women using HRT she saw was ‘two or even three times the maximum dose’ swallowed.
She added: “Safety studies on HRT at these doses have not been done.”