Estrogen Listed as a Carcinogen

The National Toxicology Program Advisory Committee has recommended that all forms of estrogen be added to the list of cancer causing chemicals, according to a report from Associated Press today. The committee said that by placing all estrogen products on the list would help women weigh the benefits and risks of hormonal therapy.

The committee, a branch of the National Institutes of Health, routinely updates the list of cancer causing chemicals on a biannual basis. The advisory committee's recommendations are normally accepted by the NIH, however such acceptance takes time, and the current recommendation may not be accepted for up to another two years.

In other action, the committee declined to place talc on the list. While there are indications that breathing talc can lead to lung cancer, the use of the product in cosmetic and other products does not lead to cancer, according to research studies. The committee also added ultraviolet radiation to the list of cancer causing agents. This form of radiation is known to cause skin cancer. Ultraviolet, which is naturally occurring in sunlight, is the radiation which causes sun burns. It is artificially produced by mercury arc lamps, such as are often used to enhance suntans.

In the case of the estrogen link, research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that postmenopausal women who take both female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, for more than 10 years have almost double the risk of breast cancer. The research indicated that women who take estrogen for less than 5 years do not increase their breast cancer risk significantly. It also indicated that women who stopped taking estrogen for more than three years had no increased risk of breast cancer.

Additionally, the World Health Organization indicates that estrogen acts to "fuel" lung cancer growth. This is especially true of non-small cell carcinomas, which account for approximately 80% of lung cancers. Their research indicates that by blocking the effects of estrogen, the rate of occurrence is reduced or eliminated.

Based on research such as this, it was apparent that the committee could not ignore the harmful effects of this hormone, and that it was necessary to include estrogen on the list of carcinogens. Women who are taking estrogen, in any of its forms, should consult with their physician to assess the risks and benefits of this treatment. Only with a set of informed choices, can a woman be expected to make a reasonable, medically safe decision. This is especially important since, according to Michelle Medinsky, a toxicologist from Durham, N.C., " Physicians never discuss any of these risks when they are prescribing hormone therapy. They only discuss benefits. Listing might force it on the table."

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