Assessment of mammographic density in postmenopausal women during long term hormone replacement therapy

Abstract

Objective: To assess long-term effects of different hormone replacement therapy (HRT) regimens on mammographic density.

Methods: One hundred sixty-five postmenopausal women were treated with the same HRT during 5 years: 38 received transdermal estradiol, 78 cyclic combined therapy and 49 continuous combined therapy. Mammograms were obtained at baseline, at 1-year and 5-year treatment. Breast density changes were categorized as slight focal increased density, considerable focal increased density, slight diffuse increased density and considerable diffuse increased density.

Results: Mammographic density increased in 7.9% of women receiving estrogen alone versus 25.2% of women receiving combined therapy (p?p?p?Conclusion: An increase in breast density is significantly more frequent in women receiving combined estrogen-progestin therapy than in women receiving estrogen alone. There are differences between cyclic and continuous combined therapy at 5 years of treatment.