Oestrogen therapy ’causes ovarian cancer to grow five times faster’
October 21st, 2010 - 6:13 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Oct 21 (ANI): A new study has revealed that oestrogen therapy used by menopausal women causes a type of ovarian cancer to grow five times faster.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Cancer Center found that menopausal estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) also significantly increases the likelihood of the cancer metastasizing to the lymph nodes.
Monique Spillman and her team measured ovarian cancer growth in the abdomen of mice using novel techniques for visualizing the cancer.
In mice with ER+ ovarian cancer cells, which were tagged with a firefly-like fluorescent protein that allowed them to be tracked, the introduction of estrogen therapy made the tumors grow five times faster than in mice that did not receive the ERT.
“We were able to identify estrogen-regulated genes specific to ER+ ovarian cancer that are not shared with ER+ breast cancers. We believe these genes can be specifically targeted with new anti-estrogen therapies that could more effectively treat ER+ ovarian cancers,” Spillman said.
The study dealt only with estrogen replacement, which is linked to higher risks of ovarian cancer, not combined estrogen/progesterone therapy that is used with women who retain their uteruses. It did not test whether the estrogen replacement actually could cause the development of these cancer cells.
“We cannot make clinical recommendations based on what is happening in mice,” cautioned Spillman.
“Every woman is different and needs to talk to her doctor about the decision to use hormone replacement therapy.”
The study was released online Oct. 19, 2010. Cancer Research. (ANI)
- Estrogen helps women pile on pounds - Oct 06, 2011
- Menopausal hormone therapy 'ups ovarian cancer risk' - Nov 10, 2010
- Hot flushes tied to lower risk of breast cancer - Jan 26, 2011
- Anti-estrogen medication 'cuts risk of dying from lung cancer' - Jan 24, 2011
- How progesterone and estrogen increase breast cancer risk - Jan 19, 2011
- Female sex hormone regulates weight - Oct 20, 2011
- Hormone therapies 'up breast cancer metastasis risk in post-menopausal women' - May 07, 2010
- New risk factors for brain metastases in breast cancer patients identified - Dec 10, 2010
- Nanoscale gene 'ignition switch' could help detect and treat cancer - Dec 16, 2010
- Aging-related protein holds breast cancer clues - Jan 28, 2011
- Genes drive gender specific behaviours in parenting, sex - Feb 03, 2012
- Evidence of unusual drug-resistant breast tumours found - Oct 09, 2010
- High soy intake reduces risk of breast cancer - Jun 15, 2010
- Breast stem cells' hormone sensitivity presents new drug target - Apr 12, 2010
- Motor protein that blocks ovarian tumor growth found - Apr 27, 2011
Tags: abdomen, breast cancers, cancer growth, cancer research, clinical recommendations, colorado cancer center, estrogen replacement therapy, firefly, genes, hormone replacement therapy, lymph nodes, menopausal women, novel techniques, ovarian cancer, ovarian cancer cells, progesterone, spillman, university of colorado, university of colorado cancer center, uteruses