ONCOLOGICAL RISK IN CLIMACTERIC HORMONE THERAPY: CURRENT EVIDENCE AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Authors

  • Carolinne Domingues Pereira de Medeiros Author
  • João Luiz Vinhal Júnior Author
  • Thiago Motta Vaz Rodrigues Author
  • Giovanna Santos Barchet Author
  • Cecília Cerqueira Suzarte Almeida Author
  • Kamile Maria Saboia Moreira Author
  • Júlia Meschessi Vidigal Gouveia Teixeira Author
  • Bernardo Resende Lopes de Lacerda Author
  • Ana Clara Moreira Neves Author
  • Bernardo Morais da Costa Author
  • Ana Clara Lopes Chicata Olazabal Author
  • Luiza Camapum Fernandes Ribeiro Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56238/levv16n51-096

Keywords:

Climacteric, Hormone Therapy, Cancer Risk, Breast Cancer, Gynecologic Cancer, Therapeutic Safety

Abstract

Hormone therapy (HT) is a key strategy in managing climacteric symptoms, providing relief from vasomotor complaints, improving quality of life, and offering benefits to bone metabolism. However, the oncological risk associated with its use remains one of the main clinical and ethical challenges in medical practice, particularly following the results of the WHI study and subsequent evidence. This systematic review aimed to critically assess current data regarding the association between HT and the development or recurrence of neoplasms in climacteric women. A total of 41 studies, including clinical trials, cohort studies, and systematic reviews, were analyzed. The findings demonstrated variable cancer risks depending on the type of hormone used, duration of therapy, patient profile, and route of administration. A higher risk of breast cancer was consistently associated with combined HT, while estrogen-only therapy showed a safer profile in hysterectomized women. Regarding endometrial and ovarian cancers, risks were more prominent in the absence of progestogenic opposition and in patients with a history of endometriosis, respectively. In less common malignancies, such as thyroid cancer and lymphomas, molecular markers suggest potential associations, though clinical relevance remains uncertain. The findings support that HT should be prescribed in a personalized and evidence-based manner, with rigorous monitoring, especially in patients with oncological history or predisposing risk factors.

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Published

2025-08-29

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 51 (2025): Vol. XVI Núm. LI - 2025

Section

Articles

How to Cite

DE MEDEIROS, Carolinne Domingues Pereira et al. ONCOLOGICAL RISK IN CLIMACTERIC HORMONE THERAPY: CURRENT EVIDENCE AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS. LUMEN ET VIRTUS, [S. l.], v. 16, n. 51, p. e7679, 2025. DOI: 10.56238/levv16n51-096. Disponível em: https://periodicos.newsciencepubl.com/LEV/article/view/7679. Acesso em: 5 dec. 2025.