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American Morning

Hormone Therapy

Aired November 29, 2002 - 08:44   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: It is a crucial and complex issue for women who suffer from menopausal symptoms. Is hormone replacement therapy too risky? Researchers are finding out more about the controversial issue. Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is filling in for Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and she joins us live from Atlanta with more.
This is just getting ever more controversial now, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, it's gets more complicated, but it's so important that women understand what doctors are learning in these studies. This study answers the question, what happens when you go off of the combined hormone treatments that seem to be causing so many problems? Last summer, the study said, while you're on it, while you're on these medicine, it increases the risk that you're going to get heart disease and cancer. However, what about when you go off of it -- is the damage done, or are you OK?

Well, the answer, according to this study, is that, in fact, your risk goes back down to normal. In other words, it's OK. While you're on the medicine, your risk of getting breast cancer or heart disease is up, but then when you go off of it, your risk of at least the breast cancer part of that goes back down to normal.

So this is good news for women worrying I was on these medicines for several years, I wonder if I did long-lasting damage. The answer, according to this study is that you didn't -- Carol.

COSTELLO: This does help women, this change?

COHEN: Right. What this study is good news for women who were wondering I was on this medicine for a couple of years and I went off of it when I heard that study last summer, but I wonder if all of those years might be doing me damage now, residual damage as it were. The answer, according to this study, is no, you're OK. Once you go off of the medicine, you are no longer at that increased risk for breast cancer.

COSTELLO: Yes. but is this the final word, or are we going to hear something entirely different a couple of weeks from now?

COHEN: That is always the concern. And you know what, it is never the final word. There are always more studies to come out, and that's why it's so important to talk to your doctor, to think about what we know now, and you just -- your only choice is to make the decision based on the information that we have now. COSTELLO: Should I ask you if there is a bottom line, and what exactly women are supposed to do?

COHEN: Well, there actually is a bottom line. The bottom line is, you need to think about how bad are your menopause symptoms. If you feel so terrible with the hot flashes and all of the other symptoms of menopause that you can't sleep at night, that you can't go to work, well, you may decide, along with your doctor, that it's worth taking the risk. There is an increased risk of breast cancer on the pills. It's not gigantic. If you put 10,000 people on these hormones, over the course of the year, eight women would get breast cancer because of the hormones. In other words, eight out of 10,000 would get breast cancer out of the hormones. Some people say, it's too big of a risk, I don't want to do that. Other women say it's worth the risk for me, because I feel so awful, it's worth the risk. That's what some women might decide. Others might decide to go with alternative remedies. It's everybody's choice.

COSTELLO: All right, Elizabeth. Thanks for clearing that up at least somewhat for us. Elizabeth Cohen, reporting live from Atlanta.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 29, 2002 - 08:44   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: It is a crucial and complex issue for women who suffer from menopausal symptoms. Is hormone replacement therapy too risky? Researchers are finding out more about the controversial issue. Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is filling in for Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and she joins us live from Atlanta with more.
This is just getting ever more controversial now, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, it's gets more complicated, but it's so important that women understand what doctors are learning in these studies. This study answers the question, what happens when you go off of the combined hormone treatments that seem to be causing so many problems? Last summer, the study said, while you're on it, while you're on these medicine, it increases the risk that you're going to get heart disease and cancer. However, what about when you go off of it -- is the damage done, or are you OK?

Well, the answer, according to this study, is that, in fact, your risk goes back down to normal. In other words, it's OK. While you're on the medicine, your risk of getting breast cancer or heart disease is up, but then when you go off of it, your risk of at least the breast cancer part of that goes back down to normal.

So this is good news for women worrying I was on these medicines for several years, I wonder if I did long-lasting damage. The answer, according to this study is that you didn't -- Carol.

COSTELLO: This does help women, this change?

COHEN: Right. What this study is good news for women who were wondering I was on this medicine for a couple of years and I went off of it when I heard that study last summer, but I wonder if all of those years might be doing me damage now, residual damage as it were. The answer, according to this study, is no, you're OK. Once you go off of the medicine, you are no longer at that increased risk for breast cancer.

COSTELLO: Yes. but is this the final word, or are we going to hear something entirely different a couple of weeks from now?

COHEN: That is always the concern. And you know what, it is never the final word. There are always more studies to come out, and that's why it's so important to talk to your doctor, to think about what we know now, and you just -- your only choice is to make the decision based on the information that we have now. COSTELLO: Should I ask you if there is a bottom line, and what exactly women are supposed to do?

COHEN: Well, there actually is a bottom line. The bottom line is, you need to think about how bad are your menopause symptoms. If you feel so terrible with the hot flashes and all of the other symptoms of menopause that you can't sleep at night, that you can't go to work, well, you may decide, along with your doctor, that it's worth taking the risk. There is an increased risk of breast cancer on the pills. It's not gigantic. If you put 10,000 people on these hormones, over the course of the year, eight women would get breast cancer because of the hormones. In other words, eight out of 10,000 would get breast cancer out of the hormones. Some people say, it's too big of a risk, I don't want to do that. Other women say it's worth the risk for me, because I feel so awful, it's worth the risk. That's what some women might decide. Others might decide to go with alternative remedies. It's everybody's choice.

COSTELLO: All right, Elizabeth. Thanks for clearing that up at least somewhat for us. Elizabeth Cohen, reporting live from Atlanta.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com