HRT and breast cancer

Professor Beral worked on the study

Breakfast's main story this morning will be of concern to the one and a half million women in Britain who take Hormone Replacement Therapy.

The world's largest ever study of the treatment - which is used to relieve the worst symptoms of the menopause - has discovered that the risks of contracting breast cancer are much higher than previously thought.

It appears that some forms of combined hormone therapy can double a woman's risk of breast cancer, accounting for an extra 20,000 cases of the disease in Britain.

Breakfast talked live to Professor Valerie Beral one of the authors of the study.

She says women need to decide for themselves whether the risks of HRT outweigh the benefits.

"It's not news that HRT causes breast cancer," she told us in a live interview. "What is new is that it's a particular type."

Prof Berol's study has looked at the medical histories of more than a million women, between 50 and 64 - that's a quarter of all the women of that age in this country.

Her research has found that the risk of getting breast cancer is far greater if you're taking the combined pill (oestrogen and progesterone) rather than the single hormone (oestrogen) therapy.

Swapping to an oestrogen only pill may not be so simple, as it is associated with cancer of the uterus (womb).

She told us:"The message is don't panic but do talk to your doctor"

We heard from Dr Sarah Jarvis of the Royal College of GPs about HRT. We also talked to her about today's other medical story, about the MMR vaccine.

Why do women need HRT? We talked to consultant gynaecologist Malcolm Whitehead about some of the unpleasant symptoms of the menopause. He runs a support organisation called The Amarant Trust (see the link on the right hand side)

We got the latest advice from the government on HRT, with Aidan Halligan, who's the government's deputy chief medical advisor

"There's no need for urgent alteration of patients' treatment in the short term," he told us. Anyone who's worried should talk to NHS Direct, he said - on 0845 4647

Natural alternatives to HRT

We talked to Marilyn Glenville, PhD, who's written several books on alternatives to HRT.

She believes that the Western diet is responsible for many of the symptoms of the menopause, such as hot flushes.

Many foods contain phyto-oestrogens - chemicals which act in a similar way to the body's own hormone. Soya, chickpeas and other sorts of beans are a good source of phyto-oestrogens, she says.

She also suggests trying:

Vitamins and minerals A good multivitamin and mineral supplement; Vitamin C, Vitamin E, B complex vitaminhs, Magnesium, Calcium Citrate and Linseed oil

Herbal remedies Agnus castus, black cohosh, gingko biloba

Marilyn Glenville's book is called Eat Your Way Through the Menopause

Breakfast has now finished. You can still e-mail your comments to us if you wish