abstract: Differences in regional brain metabolism associated with specific formulations of hormone therapy in postmenopausal women at risk for AD (Alzheimer's disease)

"In conclusion, particular areas of relatively preserved metabolism were seen in women with more years of endogenous estrogen exposure, as well as in women taking estradiol-based formulations or estrogen therapies unopposed by progesterone, together suggesting regionally specific neuroprotective estrogenic effects."

commentary: re: Lengthened WHI Follow-Up: Postmenopausal Estrogen Therapy - Women's Health

full free access: Health Outcomes After Stopping Conjugated Equine Estrogens Among Postmenopausal Women With Prior Hysterectomy, April 6, 2011— JAMA

Risk assessment for recurrent venous thrombosis – The Lancet (as it applies to transdermal oestrogens)

Note:  author's response to commentaries on the original research article,  links  included to the discussion

video: SABCS 2010: Dr. Joseph Ragaz MD, what will be the impact on future trials from the data pulled from Women's Health Initiative about Estrogen-Only Hormone Therapy?

Caveats and Concerns With New Study on Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer

Note: references studies - WHI (Women's Health Initiative) and California Teachers Study

Clinicians vary in their approaches to HT, said Dr. Ursin. "Certain gynecologists are very careful with finding the right dose for each woman, and some even prescribe [estrogen] alone for women who have a uterus, but then monitor the uterus carefully. Please keep in mind that the risk of breast cancer associated with EPT is relatively moderate. The risk of endometrial cancer with [estrogen] alone is much higher — a more than 4-fold increase in risk in this same population of California teachers," she said.

in research: The Cognitive Effects of Conjugated Equine Estrogens Depend on Whether Menopause Etiology Is Transitional or Surgical -- Endocrinology

Note: abstract only/$$$ full access

"Type of menopause, surgical vs. transitional, impacts cognitive outcome in women. However, whether type of menopause impacts cognitive effects of HT has not been methodically tested in women or an animal model...........That we now show surgical vs. transitional modes of menopause result in disparate cognitive effects of HT has implications for future research and treatments optimizing HT for menopausal women."

Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement -- Concensus Statement/Review

Conclusions:
The major conclusions related to the overall benefits and risks of MHT expressed as the number of women per 1000 taking MHT for 5 yr who would experience benefit or harm. Primary areas of benefit included relief of hot flashes and symptoms of urogenital atrophy and prevention of fractures and diabetes. Risks included venothrombotic episodes, stroke, and cholecystitis. In the subgroup of women starting MHT between ages 50 and 59 or less than 10 yr after onset of menopause, congruent trends suggested additional benefit including reduction of overall mortality and coronary artery disease. In this subgroup, estrogen plus some progestogens increased the risk of breast cancer, whereas estrogen alone did not. Beneficial effects on colorectal and endometrial cancer and harmful effects on ovarian cancer occurred but affected only a small number of women. Data from the various Women's Health Initiative studies, which involved women of average age 63, cannot be appropriately applied to calculate risks and benefits of MHT in women starting shortly after menopause.
At the present time, assessments of benefit and risk in these younger women are based on lower levels of evidence.

Abstract/free full text - Associations between tamoxifen, estrogens, and FSH serum levels during steady state tamoxifen treatment of postmenopausal women with breast cancer

"Conclusions

We have shown an association between tamoxifen and its metabolites and estrogen serum levels. An impact of CYP2C19 predicted activity on tamoxifen, as well as estrogen kinetics may partly explain the observed association between tamoxifen and its metabolites and estrogen serum levels. Since the role of estrogen levels during tamoxifen therapy is still a matter of debate further prospective studies to examine the effect of tamoxifen and estrogen kinetics on treatment outcome are warranted."

EvidenceUpdates/Commentary: Estrogen alone in postmenopausal women and breast cancer detection by means of mammography and breast biopsy

Note: postmenopausal women/followup from WHI study

Medical News: SGO: No Lung CA Risk Seen with Estrogen - in Meeting Coverage, SGO from MedPage Today

Transdermal and oral hormone replacement therapy and the risk of stroke: a nested case-control study

Conclusions The use of transdermal HRT containing low doses of oestrogen does not seem to increase the risk of stroke. The presence of residual confounding, however, cannot be entirely excluded in the interpretation of this finding.

Hormone therapy, DNA methylation and colon cancer-- Carcinogenesis

SERMs and SERMs with estrogen for postmenopausal osteoporosis

New Campaign: Estrogen Therapy I.Q. (ETIQ) Kicks Off to Improve Access to Credible Facts About Menopause and Advances in Estrogen Therapy -media

from website: mybiopsy.org: CAP and ASCO ER/PgR Test Guideline - College of American Pathologists

What to Know: The CAP and ASCO Guideline on Estrogen and Progesterone Receptor Testing for Breast Cancer Introduction To help doctors give their patients the best possible care, the College of American Pathologists and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) developed evidence-based recommendations to improve the accuracy of testing for estrogen and progesterone receptors for breast cancer. This guide for patients is based on CAP’s and ASCO’s recommendations. Key Points: * Estrogen and progesterone receptors are found on breast cancer cells that depend on estrogen and related hormones to grow. * All patients with invasive breast cancer or a breast cancer recurrence should have their tumors tested for estrogen and progesterone receptors. * This testing should be performed by an accredited laboratory that follows specific testing procedures and handles the samples in a consistent way.

JCO - Relationship Between Plasma Estradiol Levels and Estrogen-Responsive Gene Expression in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women UK/US study

Purpose To determine whether plasma estradiol (E2) levels are related to gene expression in estrogen receptor (ER)–positive breast cancers in postmenopausal women.

full access: Estrogen receptor positive breast cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers: clinical risk factors and pathologic features

Expression of HER2/neu, estrogen and progesterone receptors, CA 125 and CA19-9 on cancer cell membrane in patients with serous and mucinous carcinoma

Estrogen-only HRT may increase risk of asthma after menopause | Eureka! Science News