RESUMO
To determine the effect of different types and formulations of hormone replacement therapy [HRT] on the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women at Mansoura University Hospitals. This study was conducted in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, General Surgery and Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Departments, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University from January 2005 to June 2008. The study group included 210 cases of postmenopausal women ranging in age from 50-70 years with breast cancer for whom surgical interventions were done according to the stage. The study group were matched with '0 cases representing control group. The rate of breast cancer was Increased with the use of opposed estrogens in oral form [adjusted relative risk "RR" 1.1; 95% confidence interval "CI" 1.31-1.42] and injectable [RR 1.1; 95% CI 0.86-1.20]. The rate of breast cancer was not increased among users of unopposed estrogens [RR 0.96; 95% CI 0.86-1.09] or of progestins only [RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.85-1.12]. Oral etstrogen-progestin combinations appear to be associated with an increased breast cancer risk while estrogens alone and progestins are not