Biologie Und Epidemiologie Der Hormonersatztherapiebiology and Epidemiology of Hormone Replacement Therapy

This volume contains an advanced level discussion on the appropriateness of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in modern postmenopausal women on the basis of the current evidence provided by recent epidemiological studies. It addresses all aspects of benefits and risks associated with HRT, including issues concerning psychology, the cardiovascular system, bone structure, and carcinogenesis. It focuses, however, on cancer risk and on risk of breast cancer in particular. In doing so, it provides a detailed discussion of the pathobiological features of breast cancer, concluding that the evidence provided by epidemiological studies is in conflict with the biological growth features of breast cancer. It advocates further epidemiological studies which incorporate pathobiological assessments. It will be of particular interest to clinicians who need to make treatment choices, and to researchers in gynaecology, pathology and epidemiology who need to make choices of the appropriate style and content of studies which investigate risks of HRT.