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There is so much conflicting info when it comes to the need for women to consider hormone replacement therapy when they near menopause. Women usually take hormone replacement therapy with the hope of eliminating or reduce severe menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, which usually disrupt the normal functioning of a woman. However, new reports have been showing that HRT could cause cancer while some have concluded that it doesn’t. Research findings also give conflicting information on whether hormone replacement therapy usually leads to heart disease or not.

Some studies have shown that there are some women who can minimize their risk of getting colon cancer by taking a combination of estrogen and progesterone. This only succeeds in making one wonder what they should do. There is certainly no outright answer as to whether one should consider taking hormone replacement therapy or not.

The numbers about colon cancer

Estimates by National Cancer Institute show that about 106, 000 new cases for colon cancer are going to be diagnosed in US, and about 50000 people will die due to rectal cancer and colon cancer. A combination of men and women shows that colon cancer is ranked number two when it comes to deaths related to cancer. Death rate has been falling considerably over the past two decades thanks to better treatments and more screenings.

A complicated relationship between prevention colon cancer and HRT

A couple of researches have been undertaken to ascertain how HRT could increase the risk for getting some cancer types. For instance, studies showed that while HRT indeed increases the risk of getting certain cancers like breast cancer, it is less likely that HRT can worsen the risk of getting colon cancer. Some other researchers have reported that HRT decreases the risk. Some researchers have been looking at how progesterone and estrogen HRT could help reduce the risk for colon cancer and it was found that it did by 40%.

Researchers found that even though a less number of women taking hormone replacement therapy got colon cancer, the women without the cancer were actually diagnosed to be having more advanced cases. The cancer had already spread to lymph nodes. The reason why this happens has continued to dazzle many researchers.

Why you should proceed with caution

Considering how these findings are confusing, it is not recommended that you prevent colon cancer by taking HRT. The many risks usually offset the various benefits that come with hormone replacement therapy. Whether or not you should take hormone replacement therapy, especially the one that involves a combination of progesterone and estrogen will depend on what you discuss with your doctor. Even though HRT might give an assurance that the colon cancer rate will reduce, you should keep in mind that your condition may worsen if you happen to get the disease.