Estrogen News and Research

Latest Estrogen News and Research

Confusion abounds on how to treat the menopause

The results in 2002 of a large U.S. study on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in many respects left women confused and alarmed about the treatment for the menopause.

25 Oct 2006

Identifying breast cancer patients most likely to benefit from Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy after adjuvant radiation and Tamoxifen

While some breast cancer survivors could benefit from adding aromatase inhibitors to the standard five years of tamoxifen, a new study shows the additional therapy should be weighed carefully for each individual.

23 Oct 2006

Race is associated with unfavorable breast cancer tumor biology

African-American women with breast cancer were more likely to have larger, later-stage tumors that were more difficult to treat and also had lower survival rates than Hispanic and Caucasian women who received the same treatment in two independent series of clinical trials examined by researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

23 Oct 2006

Wall Street Journal examines debate over alternative HRT to treat menopausal symptoms

The Wall Street Journal on Saturday examined the debate over the risks and efficacy of alternatives to hormone replacement therapy for treatment of menopausal symptoms.

23 Oct 2006

Idaho woman files lawsuit over Ortho Evra patch

A woman in Idaho who said she developed a blood clot disorder after using the birth control patch Ortho Evra -- made by Ortho-McNeil, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson -- has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the companies, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports.

19 Oct 2006

Contraceptive options in the U.S. examined

The New York Times on Tuesday examined contraceptive options in the U.S., where 60% of unplanned pregnancies occur among women who use contraception.

17 Oct 2006

Judge declares mistrial in case against Wyeth's Prempro

A judge in a Pennsylvania state court in Philadelphia on Wednesday declared a mistrial in a case in which a jury ruled that the use of Wyeth's combination hormone replacement therapy Prempro in part caused breast cancer to develop in a 66-year-old woman, the Wall Street Journal reports.

16 Oct 2006

Use of unapproved drugs in the U.S.

USA Today on Monday looked at the use of unapproved drugs in the U.S., including some that are used to treat menopause symptoms (Rubin, USA Today, 9/18).

20 Sep 2006

Jury dismisses lawsuit against Wyeth in first Pempro case

A jury in a U.S. District Court in Little Rock, Ark., on Friday dismissed negligence charges in the first of about 5,000 lawsuits filed over Prempro, a combination hormone replacement therapy manufactured by Wyeth, and found the drug's design was not defective, Reuters reports.

20 Sep 2006

Thousands of prescription drug products sold in the U.S. not approved by FDA

Drugs that have not been approved by FDA make up nearly 2% of prescription drugs on the market, and some of them "might not only be ineffective but also might actually be harmful," USA Today reports.

20 Sep 2006

Raloxifene reduces breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women

Raloxifene protects postmenopausal women from developing invasive breast cancer whether they are at high or low risk of developing the disease, according to a new study.

13 Sep 2006

Physical activity increases breast cancer survival

Women who reported the highest levels of physical activity in the year before they were diagnosed with breast cancer may have higher survival, according to a new study.

11 Sep 2006

Hearing loss in older women linked to hormone replacement therapy

Researchers in the U.S. are suggesting that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may possibly exacerbate hearing deficits in women who take it following the menopause.

5 Sep 2006

Bone protection by estrens occurs through non-tissue-selective activation of the androgen receptor

A new study appearing in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation indicates that caution might be needed if a new group of drugs known as estrens are to be developed for the treatment of osteoporosis.

4 Sep 2006

Women's Health Network petitions FDA to halt sales of estrogen, testosterone combination treatments

The National Women's Health Network has petitioned FDA to stop sales of Solvay's Estratest and Breckenridge Pharmaceuticals' Syntest, which are estrogen-testosterone combination therapies used to treat menopause-associated hot flashes, until they are proven safe and effective, Reuters reports.

24 Aug 2006