Your body produces 3 different estrogens: estrone, estradiol and estriol. Estriol (also known as E3) is the weakest of the 3 natural estrogens and was originally thought to have little significance. It has been virtually ignored by the mainstream medical community because it doesn’t have the quick, recognizable effects on the body that the stronger estrogens do. While estradiol (E2) will stop hot flashes within hours after applying to the skin, estriol takes much longer to affect you. However, current research has found that estriol offers a wealth of benefits without the dangers that sometimes accompany the stronger estrogens or the synthetic estrogens (such as Premarin).  Estriol can help relieve menopausal symptoms, protect your bones, rejuvinate vaginal tissue, benefit urinary tract health and correct vaginal dryness. It may also reduce cardiovascular risk and shows great promise in reducing brain lesions in multiple sclerosis patients.Estriol is the estrogen most commonly associated with pregnancy. In fact, during pregnancy levels of estriol are up to 1,000 times higher than normal when compared to non-pregnant levels. Women suffering from multiple sclerosis often see their symptoms get considerably better during pregnancy.But what about the risk of breast cancer? There have been lots of opinions and articles in the media relating estrogen use to increased risk of breast cancer. What they fail to tell  you is the type of estrogen studied. In a study funded by the U.S. Army and performed at the Public Health Institute in Berkeley, CA, researchers compared estriol levels during pregnancy with breast cancer incidence 40 years later. Results of the study showed that of the 15,000 women involved, those with the highest levels of estriol during pregnancy had the lowest incidence of breast cancer later on. Asian and Hispanic women typically have higher levels of estriol than other racial groups and interestingly have the lowest breast cancer rates.Estrogen has also been linked to endometrial cancer in the media. In one investigation, postmenopausal women were given oral estriol with no progesterone for 6 months. Oral estrone or estradiol are not advised because they can increase the risk of blood clots. Giving them unopposed (without progesterone) is not advised because it can increase the risk of endometrial hyperplasia (overgrowth…which can lead to cancer). However, all the study participants showed an improvement of symptoms; there were no strokes or blood clots and no endometrial hyperplasia (confirmed by endometrial biopsy). There were also no breast changes that would indicate a higher risk for breast cancer.Estriol has been shown to be the safest estrogen we can use to replace our body’s natural estrogens; it gives the most benefits with the lowest amount of risk. Ask your physician if estriol may be the right choice for you.

 Several studies have recently shown that women that are deficient in Vitamin D are more likely to develop breast cancer. The lower the level of Vitamin D in their blood, the higher the grade of cancer they develop and the higher the risk of mortality. In these studies, the association between Vitamin D levels and disease free survival were not related to age, BMI (body mass index), insulin level, and tumor stage/grade, estrogen-receptor status, chemotherapy or tamoxifen use. This implies that adequate levels of Vitamin D in your blood could protect you from breast cancer. If you do end up with breast cancer, maintaining adequate Vitamin D levels along with your treatment may prevent death and increase your chance of disease free survival.

Vitamin D deficiency can also harm your bones. Your body requires Vitamin D to absorb Calcium and make it available for use. If you don’t have enough Vitamin D, Calcium is not absorbed and your bones become weak, leading to rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.

If you and your doctor decide that you would benefit from supplementation, your serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels must be measured before and during treatment. High levels in your blood could lead to the permanent deposit of minerals in the heart, lungs, and kidneys. Symptoms of toxicity are nausea, vomiting, pain in joints, and lack of interest in eating food. Continuing at toxic levels can result in death.

If you have any questions about your Vitamin D levels, talk to your doctor. Open communication with your doctor is one of the most important tools you have in the pursuit of good health.

A German study has been published that shows previous hormone therapy use appears to be a factor increasing survival in women with breast cancer. It’s speculated that hormone therapy prevents bone metastases (the spread of disease from one organ to another). The 1072 breast cancer patients who were studied were divided into 3 groups; premenopausal, post-menopausal with previous hormone therapy use, and post-menopausal with no hormone therapy use. The authors of the study found that previous hormone therapy users had significantly higher rates of survival after breast cancer than nonusers-the 5 year survival rate for previous HRT patients was 92.8% versus 82.2% for non-HRT users.

It’s important to keep up-to-date on the latest research-your health may depend on it. Ask your physician what the latest findings mean to you.

In a news story broadcast July 31, 2007, ABC World News reported that hundreds of mammography centers are shutting down around the country and that fewer doctors are willing to do mammograms.  What’s going on??

Insurance companies are not reimbursing for mammograms, and a better test has been discovered. In a study published in the August 2007 issue of Radiology, it was revealed that MRI’s had a higher rate of breast cancer detection than either mammography or ultrasound. Spanning several centers, the study compared mammography, ultrasound and MRI’s in 171 asymptomatic women who were confirmed carriers of BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 mutation or had at least a 20% chance of carrying the mutation. The MRI detected areas of concern in 3.5% of the women, the mammograms detected problems in 1.2% of the women and ultrasound detected areas in 0.6% of the women. A total of 16 biopsies were performed and 6 cancers detected.

What do these findings mean in plain English? Mammograms and ultrasounds were not as sensitive as the MRI’s and missed several areas of concern. Early detection of breast cancer increases a patients odds of survival drastically. MRI’s offer earlier detection, giving patients more treatment options and a greater chance of successful treatment.

There are several different types of progesterone used in hormone replacement therapy. Many are synthetic, such as levonorgestrel, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), and norethindrone acetate. Currently, there are only two bio-identical progesterones known as micronized progesterone and prometrium. Synthetic progesterone-like compounds (progestins) were created because progesterone couldn’t be absorbed orally. Once progesterone was micronized (made into tiny crystals), it could be easily absorbed orally so synthetic compounds are no longer needed.  However, many physicians became used to prescribing synthetic compounds, so are continuing to use them.

Are the synthetics safe? Two major studies, the Women’s Health Initiative study and the Million Women study, have linked hormone therapy to breast cancer. Both of these studies used synthetic hormones. Their findings are echoed by a more recent study in France that showed a higher risk of breast cancer with progestin use, a small risk of breast cancer when using estrogen only (but an increased risk of endometrial hyperplasia-the thickening of the lining of the uterus which can turn into endometrial cancer) and no risk of breast cancer when using micronized progesterone. Two major studies, the Women’s Health Initiative study and the Million Women study, have linked hormone therapy to breast cancer. Both of these studies used synthetic hormones; their findings are echoed by the more recent findings in France.

So what does this mean to you? If you have a uterus, don’t use estrogen without progesterone to prevent endometrial hyperplasia and in turn endometrial cancer. When you use progesterone, make sure you are using micronized progesterone, not progestins. How can you tell if you are using progestins or progesterone? If your prescription says “progesterone” or “prometrium” it is bio-identical. If your prescription says  “progestin”, “prempro”, “provera”, “Medroxyprogesterone acetate ” or some other chemical name, it is not bioidentical. The progestin found in birth control pills is not bio-identical, but sometimes the benefits of a medication outweigh the risks. Talk to your provider for more information.

Breast cancer is the most common life threatening cancer among women. However, it is no longer looked upon as a fatal disease, but is seen as a chronic illness. Breast cancer is being diagnosed earlier and has higher cure rates due to early detection by mammograms and self breast exams.

One out of eight women will get breast cancer, 77% of those are diagnosed in women over the age of 50. The chance of dying from breast cancer is 1 in 33.

Only 5-10% of cancers are hereditary, this means 90-95% of breast cancers occur on their own.

Breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer death among females aged 15-54 years old. It is the second leading cause of cancer death among females 55-74 years old, behind lung cancer.

85% of breast cancers occur in the duct tissue (which carry milk to the nipple) and 15% occur in the lobules (glands that produce milk).

Women are more likely than men to get breast cancer, but nearly 1700 men are diagnosed each year with breast cancer.

Risk factors for breast cancer include:

• having your first child after the age of 30
• first menstrual period before the age of 12
• going through menopause after the age of 55
• having no children
• having radiation therapy on the chest or breast-the younger the person is when she received radiation, the higher her risk for getting breast cancer
• DES exposure
• an older woman with dense breast tissue
• overweight or obesity after menopause
• limited physical activity
• more than one alcoholic drink per day
• being Caucasion
• gene mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2
• personal history of breast cancer
• family history of breast cancer
• older age