Updates

In modern times, with the best medical care, most breast cancer patients survive the first years after diagnosis and look forward in anticipation that they are cured. Certainly, as time goes on without any signs of recurrence, the chance of winning this battle becomes higher. However, can we really talk about cure from breast cancer?… Read More

The metabolic syndrome is a complex of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus which are inter-related and cluster together more often than by chance. The five main risk factors include glucose abnormalities, dyslipidemia with low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or raised triglycerides, central obesity, and raised blood pressure. Insulin resistance… Read More

A recent paper by Crandall and colleagues, based on data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial, reported that ‘new-onset breast tenderness during conjugated equine estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone therapy was associated with increased breast cancer risk’ [1]. The authors assert that new-onset breast tenderness (NOBT) is a useful predictor of breast cancer and caution… Read More

The specific biological properties of green tea and the health benefits of its consumption have been postulated from epidemiological, basic and clinical investigations. In particular, numerous studies have shown the potential preventive and therapeutic effects of green tea on cardiovascular diseases and cancer in certain populations whose lifestyle involves high green tea consumption. A recent… Read More

In one of the previous [i]Menopause Live[/i] issues, the association of ocular pressure and HRT was discussed, as an example of a relatively unrecognized effect of hormones. Another system that rarely receives attention in this respect is the otolaryngeal system. Unfortunately, most of the publications appear in specialty journals such as [i]Journal of Voice[/i] or… Read More

As much as it sounds unbelievable, it seems that pharmacological treatment of ‘mild’ hypertension in patients with low or moderate cardiovascular risk may not influence cardiovascular morbidity or mortality. A 2009 Cochrane review of the literature on treatment-of-hypertension targets [1] pointed out that no trials comparing different systolic blood pressure targets were found, and only… Read More

Menopause is a natural event and so, understandably, many women are keen to use complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) to try to manage symptoms such as hot flushes. However, all therapies, including CAMs like herbals, carry risks. Many women resist taking hormone therapy for fear that it might accelerate the appearance of breast cancer. But… Read More

2009 Update: Educational lectures on HRT and menopause now available to members - read more »… Read More

Current research on the diversity of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)-related effects does not necessarily focus on traditional issues, such as quality of life, cardiovascular disease, bone protection or cancer. Some studies highlight the effects of HRT on other organs and systems that are rarely addressed in the context of menopause medicine. Tint and colleagues [1]… Read More

Mortality due to breast cancer in American women is similar to that due to coronary heart disease in the age group 45–59 years old. Because of this, it is of utmost importance to establish the potential impact of hormone therapy (HT) around the time of menopause on breast cancer. Recent analyses of the Women’s Health… Read More