Association Between NSAID Use And Lower Colorectal Cancer Mortality Rates Among Postmenopausal Women

Postmenopausal women who reported having used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for at least 10 years at the time of enrollment in the Women’s Health Initiative study had a lower risk for death from colorectal cancer compared with women who reported no use of these drugs at enrollment, according to data presented at the 10th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Canc…

Natural Hormone Replacement Offers Women Mid-Life Relief

 

Thirty years ago, Gail Sheely’s landmark book “Passages” defined the critical phases that adults pass through. Menopause, with its accompanying hot flashes, sleep problems, bone-density loss and mood swings, is unquestionably one of those stages. Women in search of some relief from the frustrating symptoms of this mid-life passage will want to look into bio-identical hormones.

Bio-identical hormones are identical in molecular structure to those that the human body produces on its own. Synthesized from a chemical extracted from yams and soy, they are a natural hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But the fact is, any medication made from an animal, vegetable or mineral can also be called “organic.”

Premara, the drug monitored for years in the Women’s Health Initiative, was created from the urine of pregnant mares and was regarded as natural, but not bio-identical. That study was abruptly ended in 2002 as a consequence of issues with elevated risks for breast cancer, heart disease, strokes and blood clots. These risks must always be considered when seeking relief from menopause signs and symptoms, and most professionals agree that therapy should be short term and conducted under close observation.

Bio-identicals can be delivered in several ways – pills, topical creams, patches, gels and ointments. Pills are metabolized in the liver first, thereby activating proteins associated with heart attacks and strokes. Topical applications travel directly into the blood vessels, bypassing the liver and those possible associated unwanted side effects.

Studies have shown good symptom relief with bio-identicals and have been Fda approved. This means they are available from large pharmaceutical companies with a prescription. However, just as “one size fits all” is seldom true with clothing off the shelf, the standardized formulations and dosages of mass medicine don’t usually meet individual women’s needs, either.

A compounding pharmacy can produce a personalized solution on a individualized basis. Dosages can be modified in accordance with symptoms, and additives in commercial preparations that cause allergic reactions can be eliminated.

It is good to remember that some of the same unintended effects in non-compounded HRT, including breast tenderness or bleeding, can still manifest. That is why it is recommended that women work with a medical doctor who is very familiar with this treatment, and with a specific compounding pharmacy. Responsible practitioners will also start out with what is called a hormone panel, which will help guide precise dosing and balance between estrogen and progesterone. As therapy proceeds, subsequent monitoring may modify the dosage as appropriate.

Your compounding pharmacy must also be accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board and be happy to discuss their quality-control techniques with you. Then you’re able to feel confident with a personalized therapy that is best designed to help you deal with life’s changes.

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Leading Breast Cancer Researcher And Study Co-Author Rowan T. Chlebowski Explains Seemingly Contradictory Findings On Estrogen And Breast Cancer

Rowan T. Chlebowski, M.D., Ph.D., a principal investigator at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed), provided his assessment of the seeming contradictions between a previous Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study and a new abstract to be presented June 4 at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. The abstract reports on the National Cancer Institute of Canada MAP…

Hormone Therapy Use By Postmenopausal Women Associated With Increased Incidence Of More Advanced Breast Cancer

Follow-up of about 11 years of participants in the Women’s Health Initiative finds that among postmenopausal women, use of estrogen plus progestin is associated with an increased incidence of breast cancers that are more advanced, and with a higher risk of deaths attributable to breast cancer, according to a study in the October 20 issue of JAMA…

Hormone Therapy Increases Breast Cancer And Mortality

Results of a new Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) report show that hormone therapy is associated with an increased the risk of death from breast cancer, as well as an increased risk of developing invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women…

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