Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Taking HRT to treat severe menopausal symptoms can increase the risk of breast cancer. This risk increases the longer it is used. Combined HRT, involving oestrogen and progesterone carries a higher risk than oestrogen-only HRT.

However, if you take HRT for five years or less, the overall effect on breast cancer risk is relatively low. And when you stop, the risk begins to recede immediately. Five years after stopping HRT, your risk of breast cancer will be much the same as if you’d never taken it at all.

If you’re thinking of starting, stopping or changing your existing type of HRT, have a chat with your GP who can give you up-to-date information and help you make an informed choice. You’ll need to take a number of factors into consideration, in particular the impact of you menopausal symptoms on your quality of life, your medical history and your own personal preferences.

If you do take HRT, be sure to review your therapy and general health with your GP at least once a year.

See our factsheet, HRT and Breast Cancer Risk: The Facts (847 kb) . for further information.

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