Progesterone and Breast Cancer - The Real Truth

The following article is presented for your consideration in response to a recent NEWS release that warned women of increased breast cancer risk when taking a synthetic combination of estrogen and progestin (Prempro).
By: Mike Clark
 
Nov. 1, 2010 - PRLog -- The NEWS Release – October, 2010 / What the News Reported

“There is more evidence linking hormone replacement therapy with breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Women take HRT to ease the symptoms of menopause and keep them looking and feeling younger, but are the risks outweighing the benefits?

The study’s authors found that those who had used the therapy Prempro]  … were not only more likely to develop but to die from breast cancer.”

The NEWS reported a study that was a follow up to the Women’s Health Initiative Study in 2002]. That follow up study found that “not only are women taking HRT at increased risk of breast cancer, but their tumors are more likely to be more advanced, more deadly.”

The researchers in the Women’s Health Initiative Study looked at more than 16,000 postmenopausal women who were part of a large government study called the Women's Health Initiative. The women took either Prempro, a drug made by Pfizer that combines both estrogen and progestin, or a placebo or sugar pill. In 2002 the study was stopped early after five and a half years of treatment because of concerns about heart health, breast cancer and other health problems.

The recent research looked at 11 years of follow-up on the health of the women who took the Prempro and the authors found that those who had used the therapy were not only more likely to develop but to die from breast cancer.

The TRUTH – They Still Do Not Understand The Difference!

Progestin vs. Progesterone

The “HRT” referred to in this NEWS is Prempro. These drugs are a combination of a synthetic estrogen (Premarin) and synthetic progestin (Provera).

This is not NEWS although it did reinforce the fact that synthetic progestin is bad for women.  

In fact, we might argue that a “leading cause of breast cancer” is the lack of knowledge about the difference between synthetic progestins and bioidentical progesterone. Why?  Because this lack of knowledge may stop many women from taking bioidentical hormones that help them reduce the risk of breast cancer and other forms of cancer and greatly benefit their quality  of life.  

Truth: Studies show that natural (bioidentical) progesterone protects against Breast Cancer.  

At NBH Lifetime Health, we have known for years that the combination of synthetic estrogen and synthetic progestins (prempro) increases the risk of breast CANCER? This is NOT NEWS. It is based on numerous studies and clinical experience. Natural Progesterone (bioidentical) protects against breast cancer.  
2010: Neal Rouzier, M.D. Progesterone and Cancer

•   Most down regulation of breast tissue is in luteal phase when progesterone is at its peak.
•   Highest breast protection against cancer is at the end of pregnancy when progesterone is maximum.
•   Progesterone protects breast tissue.
•   Provera blocks this protection and stimulates breast tissue.

2002: Eur J Cancer Prev., 2002 Oct; 11(5):481-8
•   Growth inhibition of human breast cancer cells by progesterone is due to P13-kinase/AKT pathway causing apoptosis (death) of breast cancer cells.
•   Progesterone was shown to inhibit proliferation of normal breast epithelial cells as well as breast cancer cells.

2001: The Women’s Health Initiative Study of 2000 referred to in the latest “news flash” involved post menopausal women who were not on biodentical hormone replacement or even estrogen replacement. The average age was 63. For these women, the risk of developing breast cancer was as follows: (1.00 is baseline).

•   Incidence of breast cancer on HRT was: RR-1.26 (Increased risk over baseline)
•   Incidence of breast cancer on ERT was: RR-0.57 (Decreased Risk: ERT is Estrogen alone without progestin).

2000:  “Adding a progestin to estrogen markedly increases the risk of breast cancer 29% over baseline.” 2000: J. Natl Cancer Inst 92 (4): 3280332, 2000
2000: Progestins dramatically increase risk of breast cancer 8 times over baseline.  
JAMA 2000;203: 485-491
1999: Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1999 Mar 2; 96(5):2520-5

•   Full term pregnancy is the most effective natural protection against breast cancer.  Because the mammary gland is exposed to the highest physiological concentrations of hormones during full term pregnancy, it is these elevated levels of hormones [progesterone and estrogen] that likely induce protection from mammary cancer.
1998: Am Clin Lab Sci 1998; 28:360-369
•   Progesterone at high levels exhibits a powerful anti-proliferative effect on breast cancer cell lines.
•   Progesterone inhibits growth and induces apoptosis (death) in breast cancer cell.

1995: Fertility Sterility 1995; 63: 785-91
•   Estradiol stimulates milk duct tissue 230%.
•   Progesterone (not progestin) decreased proliferation rate 400%.
•   Evidence that unopposed estrogen stimulates hyperproliferation of breast epithelial and progesterone protects against hyperproliferation.

1993: Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Source. August 1999, p.3
•   Mayo Clinic study evaluated benefits of natural progesterone over synthetic progestins.
•   Progesterone reduced hot flashes, depression, abnormal uterine bleeding.
•   Quality of life and satisfaction with HRT greatly improved with progesterone over Provera.
•   Source of problems with progestins is metabolic breakdown products causing side effects; none with progesterone


The primary progestin prescribed to most women in this situation is medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera), a synthetic molecule that binds to progesterone receptors in the endometrium, but does not have the same effects in the rest of the body.  While Provera may reduce the risk of endometrial cancer, it has multiple side effects including an increased risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The impact of medroxyprogesterone acetate along with conjugated estrogens was not fully understood until 2002 when one arm of the Women's Health Initiative was halted prematurely due to the increased incidence of breast cancer, heart disease and strokes in the study subjects.  

At this time millions of women stopped taking hormones altogether, and the information that came from this study has left many patients and their health care providers confused about hormone replacement and the potential effects.

When exploring the relationship between hormones and cancer it is important to distinguish between the various types of hormones and to look at their relationship to each other.  Estrogen is a proliferative hormone, and causes growth of the endometrium, breast tissue and development of ovarian follicles.  Progesterone plays an important role in supporting the differentiation and complete development of these tissues.

When there is not sufficient progesterone to balance these effects of estrogen, there is an increased risk of uncontrolled growth, or cancer.  This is especially true for exogenous hormones that are foreign to the body such as Premarin, but is also true for increased endogenous production.  For example, women who have an early menarche or late menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer as do women who are overweight, as fat tissue is a source of estrogen.

Though synthetic progestins and progesterone have similar sounding names and act on the same receptors in the body, their differences far outweigh their similarities.   After the WHI report in 2002, a French study of 100,000 women, compared women using an estrogen and progestin combination with women who were using estrogen and progesterone.

Researchers found a significant increase in the incidence of breast cancer with women in the progestin group and no increase in the group using progesterone when compared with controls.

# # #

By: Joseph Feste, M.D., MD, FACOG, AACS, AACG, Medical Director and Mike Clark, Director of Education and Research, NBH Lifetime Health, Austin, Texas.

If you have questions regarding the use of synthetic hormones and the benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy, please contact NBH Lifetime Health. For a location near you, visit the Austin Hormone clinic Natural Bio Health's website at http://www.naturalbiohealth.com.

Natural Bio Health
211 Ranch Road 620 South, Suite 120
Austin, TX 78734
Phone: (512) 266-6713
Press Contact: Mike Clark
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Source:Mike Clark
Email:***@nbhlifetimehealth.com Email Verified
Zip:78734
Tags:Progesterone, Progestin, Breast Cancer, Natural Hormone Therapy, Natural Hormones, Bhrt, Hrt
Industry:Health, Science, Society
Location:Austin - Texas - United States
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