ArticlePloS one2013
Risk of breast cancer by type of menopausal hormone therapy: a case-control study among post-menopausal women in France.
Article in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 135 citations in OpenAlex.
- Relationship between menopausal hormone therapy and incidence risk of breast cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis.Annals of medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Estrogen-progestin therapy causes a greater increase in spinal bone mineral density than estrogen therapy - a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials with direct randomization.Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions · 2017Pooled it
- Progesterone vs. synthetic progestins and the risk of breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- Trial
- Breast effects of oral, combined 17β-estradiol, and progesterone capsules in menopausal women: a randomized controlled trial.Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 2020Trial
- Estradiol and progesterone bioavailability for moderate to severe vasomotor symptom treatment and endometrial protection with the continuous-combined regimen of TX-001HR (oral estradiol and progesterone capsules).Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 2019Trial
- Oral 17β-estradiol/progesterone (TX-001HR) and quality of life in postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms.Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 2019Trial
- Effects of different hormone therapies on breast pain in recently postmenopausal women: findings from the Mayo Clinic KEEPS breast pain ancillary study.Journal of women's health (2002) · 2014Trial
- Steroid hormones in Alzheimer's disease: a molecular analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid.Alzheimer's research & therapy · 2026Article
- Modifiable and Nonmodifiable Risk Factors for Breast Cancer: A Comprehensive Scoping Review.International journal of breast cancer · 2026Review
- Exogenous Hormones, Tumor Intrinsic Subtypes, and Breast Cancer.JAMA network open · 2025Article
- The 100 top-cited articles in menopausal syndrome: a bibliometric analysis.Reproductive health · 2024Article
- Is There a Special Role for Ovarian Hormones in the Pathogenesis of Lobular Carcinoma?Endocrinology · 2024Review
- Tibolone and Breast Cancer.Journal of menopausal medicine · 2023Review
- Long-Term Non-Cancer Risks in People withCancers · 2023Review
- Position Statement by Experts of the Polish Menopause and Andropause Society on menopausal hormone therapy with an oral combination drug containing oestradiol 1 mg and progesterone 100 mg.Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review · 2021Article
- Peri- and postmenopause-diagnosis and interventions interdisciplinary S3 guideline of the association of the scientific medical societies in Germany (AWMF 015/062): short version.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2020Article
- Current Evidence of the Oncological Benefit-Risk Profile of Hormone Replacement Therapy.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2019Review
- Women Epidemiology Lung Cancer (WELCA) study: reproductive, hormonal, occupational risk factors and biobank.BMC public health · 2017Article
- Deciphering the divergent roles of progestogens in breast cancer.Nature reviews. Cancer · 2017Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere is extensive epidemiological evidence that menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) increases breast cancer risk, particularly combinations of estrogen and progestagen (EP). We investigated the effects of the specific formulations and types of therapies used by French women. Progestagen constituents, regimen (continuous or sequential treatment by the progestagen), and time interval between onset of menopause and start of MHT were examined.
methodsWe conducted a population-based case-control study in France in 1555 menopausal women (739 cases and 816 controls). Detailed information on MHT use was obtained during in-person interviews. Odds ratios and 95% confidence interval adjusted for breast cancer risk factors were calculated.
resultsWe found that breast cancer risk differed by type of progestagen among current users of EP therapies. No increased risk was apparent among EP therapy users treated with natural micronized progesterone. Among users of EP therapy containing a synthetic progestin, the odds ratio was 1.57 (0.99-2.49) for progesterone-derived and 3.35 (1.07-10.4) for testosterone-derived progestagen. Women with continuous regimen were at greater risk than women treated sequentially, but regimen and type of progestagen could not be investigated independently, as almost all EP combinations containing a testosterone-derivative were administered continuously and vice-versa. Tibolone was also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Early users of MHT after onset of menopause were at greater risk than users who delayed treatment.
conclusionThis study confirms differential effects on breast cancer risk of progestagens and regimens specifically used in France. Formulation of EP therapies containing natural progesterone, frequently prescribed in France, was not associated with increased risk of breast cancer but may poorly protect against endometrial cancer.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.