Estrogen alone in postmenopausal women and breast cancer detection by means of mammography and breast biopsy.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

As the influence of estrogen alone on breast cancer detection is not established, we examined this issue in the Women's Health Initiative trial, which randomly assigned 10,739 postmenopausal women with prior hysterectomy to conjugated equine estrogen (CEE; 0.625 mg/d) or placebo.

Methods

Screening mammography and breast exams were performed at baseline and annually. Breast biopsies were based on clinical findings. Effects of CEE alone on breast cancer detection were determined by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses of mammogram performance.

Results

After a 7.1-year mean follow-up, fewer invasive breast cancers were diagnosed in the CEE than in the placebo group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Use of CEE alone increased

SUBMITTER: Chlebowski RT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2881849 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature