Endometrial ca. risk - HRT/OCP

[rice_boy]

Hi, can someone answer this question -

Combined HRT (estrogen + progesterone) does not increase the risk of endometrial ca. due to protection from progesterone.

But, why is it that the combined oral contraceptive pill (E+P) decreases risk of endometrial ca. by 50% ?

Whats the difference?


Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Idiopathic]

OCP's allow you to menstruate normally. Thats the only thing I can think of. With combined HRT, you have no menstruation, which seems to be the protective factor (at least in my eyes).

 

[akpete]

Aren't OCP mostly progestins? So your body ends up with less estrogen around leading to decreased endometrial cancer risk.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[joe6102]

Aren't OCP mostly progestins? So your body ends up with less estrogen around leading to decreased endometrial cancer risk.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Combined OCP's have much more estrogen than HT. Around 5 times as much.

Maybe OCP's ensure that estrogen never goes unopposed for a much longer period. As in period of time. Not period as in......nevermind.

 

[bjackrian]

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that OCPs decrease endometrial cancer risk by causing inhibition to endogenous estrogens so you don't get estrogen spikes. I believe that it's the spiking estrogens levels that promote endometrial cancer while the low basal levels provided by the OCPs are not particularly harmful.

 

[rice_boy]

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that OCPs decrease endometrial cancer risk by causing inhibition to endogenous estrogens so you don't get estrogen spikes. I believe that it's the spiking estrogens levels that promote endometrial cancer while the low basal levels provided by the OCPs are not particularly harmful.

yep, my thoughts are tentatively along the same lines... neway... thx

 

[desire345]

Bjackrian is absolutely correct.

HRT vs. OCPS - In OCP's, the primary component is progesterone, and so that is the reason the estrogen doesn't go unopposed.

Increased exposure or levels of estrogen is the cause behind breast, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer etc - and in HRT we see that the estrogen component is greater. It is why in this case that OCPs cause a decreased risk of these 3 while HRT provides increased risk (and the chances of endometrial cancer is decreased given that progesterone is supplied along with the estrogen).

I should also mention that HRT causes increases risk in thromboembolism, CAD, cholecystitis, stroke, risk of developing asthma, urinary incontinence in elderly, decline in cognitive function, evolution of Alzheimers, and it also lowers the seizure threshold. For this reason, ROUTINE use of HRT is not recommended. Main indication for HRT is hot flashes and osteoporosis. An alternative treatment that may be used is clonidine.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dirt]

Bjackrian is absolutely correct.

HRT vs. OCPS - In OCP's, the primary component is progesterone, and so that is the reason the estrogen doesn't go unopposed.

Increased exposure or levels of estrogen is the cause behind breast, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer etc - and in HRT we see that the estrogen component is greater. It is why in this case that OCPs cause a decreased risk of these 3 while HRT provides increased risk (and the chances of endometrial cancer is decreased given that progesterone is supplied along with the estrogen).

I should also mention that HRT causes increases risk in thromboembolism, CAD, cholecystitis, stroke, risk of developing asthma, urinary incontinence in elderly, decline in cognitive function, evolution of Alzheimers, and it also lowers the seizure threshold. For this reason, ROUTINE use of HRT is not recommended. Main indication for HRT is hot flashes and osteoporosis. An alternative treatment that may be used is clonidine.

Hope this helps.

Hmm. I think combination pills for contraception tend to have much higher doses of hormones than HRT. From what I garnered, the general consensus on why there are differences as far as adverse effects are concerned between OCs and HRT has to do with the fact that with OCs you are modulating hormones that are already present, whereas with HRT you are essentially introducing hormones that are no longer around.

I don't think that the dose of the hormones is really the issue, more so the difference between women in their reproductive prime vs. post-menopausal women as far as their general health and their hormonal state are concerned.

 

[SweetTonics]

An alternative treatment that may be used is clonidine.

why clonidine? doesn't that just reduce sympathetic outflow?

 

[sime0n]

Hmm. I think combination pills for contraception tend to have much higher doses of hormones than HRT. From what I garnered, the general consensus on why there are differences as far as adverse effects are concerned between OCs and HRT has to do with the fact that with OCs you are modulating hormones that are already present, whereas with HRT you are essentially introducing hormones that are no longer around.

I don't think that the dose of the hormones is really the issue, more so the difference between women in their reproductive prime vs. post-menopausal women as far as their general health and their hormonal state are concerned.

I still don't get why HRT causes cancer in post-menopausal women, but OCPs prevent cancer in pre-menopausal. Shouldn't the OCPs cause endometrial hyperplasia in the pre-menopausal if they contain even more estrogen + prosgesterone than HRT?

Why can't we just give OCPs to the older women to prevent cancer then?

 

[Dirt]

I still don't get why HRT causes cancer in post-menopausal women, but OCPs prevent cancer in pre-menopausal. Shouldn't the OCPs cause endometrial hyperplasia in the pre-menopausal if they contain even more estrogen + prosgesterone than HRT?

Why can't we just give OCPs to the older women to prevent cancer then?

The main cancer concern with HRT is breast CA. Obviously if you have an estrogen receptor pos. breast cancer, giving estrogen is a bad idea. OCPs and breast cancer are linked but the evidence is still a bit hazy from my understanding. The age of the typical patient on HRT vs OCP is a big reason for this difference.

OCPs are protective for Ovarian CA simply because you don't get ovulation and thus repeated cycles of damage and repair to the germinal epithelium which can give rise to dysplasia etc.

As far as endometrial CA, I think the key is again the age and hormonal state of the patients normally taking these things. OCPs lead to a decrease in the peaks and troughs of estrogen/progesterone and thus an overall decrease in the stimulatory effects of these hormones from what is physiologically normal. HRT is replacing hormones that are not normally present and therefore if unopposed lead to a marked increase in the stimulatory effect on the endometrium from what is physiologically normal at that stage in life. From what I understand the combo HRT does not have this effect and does not lead to an increased risk of endometrial CA.

Of course this is mostly academic. The real reasons they don't give HRT to women is the risk of CAD, stroke and breast CA, all of which would be exactly the same if they were given OCPs.

 

[aashkab]

I still don't get why HRT causes cancer in post-menopausal women, but OCPs prevent cancer in pre-menopausal. Shouldn't the OCPs cause endometrial hyperplasia in the pre-menopausal if they contain even more estrogen + prosgesterone than HRT?

Why can't we just give OCPs to the older women to prevent cancer then?

Hey, you are basically right. And my interpreation of FIRST aid is that you don't give estrogen replacement therapy alone to post menopausal women because of all the cancer. so you add progesterone which gets rid of the cancer side effect. but now the problem is the increased CAD. so that's why its still only used for hot flashes/osteoporosis.

so to summarize, OCP/HRT are basically the same thing. they both cause increased thrombolic events and disfavorable lipid profiles. its just that OCPs actually decrease cancer risk from preventing the estrogen surges, and ovulations, plus no pregnancy which is a HUGE benefit that outweigh the risk for CAD/CV events.