Hormone replacement therapy

Taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat the symptoms of menopause symptoms increases your risk of breast cancer; this risk increases the longer you use HRT.

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The risk is greater with combined HRT (oestrogen and progesterone) than with oestrogen-only HRT. A steroid-based HRT called tibolone (also known as Livial) may also increase the risk of breast cancer.

The good news is that the increased risk begins to fall as soon as you stop taking HRT, no matter how many years you’ve taken it. Within five years after stopping HRT, your risk of developing breast cancer is about the same as if you had never taken it.

Besides HRT, there are other ways to help reduce menopausal symptoms other than by taking HRT, such as being physically active and cutting out caffeine and nicotine. If you are considering taking, or stopping taking HRT, you should speak to your doctor. Your decision should take into account the impact of menopausal symptoms on your life, the pros and cons of HRT and your own preferences.

Experts recommend using the lowest effective dose of HRT necessary to relieve menopausal symptoms and for the shortest possible time.

If you are taking HRT, you should review your therapy and general health with your doctor at least once a year.

For more information, see our fact sheet Hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer risk: The facts.

Information last reviewed: 1 November 2011