Women receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are no likelier to need a follow-up mammogram.

Women receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are no likelier to need a follow-up mammogram than women not taking the hormones, according to researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Previous studies have inferred that hormone replacement therapy can increase breast density, thus making it necessary for further screening, according to the American Roentgen Ray Society in Leesburg, VA. The MGH study indicates that HRT rarely complicates the interpretation of screening mammograms. A team of 10 MGH radiologists reviewed the cases of 25,297 patients who had routine screenings between May 1995 and September 1997. In the cases studied, 6,504 of the women had been using HRT at the time of their mammograms. Comparing the women on HRT and those not on the therapy, the results showed that only 7.4% of women on HRT needed follow-up imaging, the same as for women not on HRT. Less than 1% of the recalls for women on HRT were related to the use of the hormone therapy. The MGH investigators will present their results at the annual ARRS meeting, to be held on May 7-12 in Washington, DC. By AuntMinnie.com staff writers April 28, 2000 Copyright © 2000 AuntMinnie.com