Study Suggests Hormone Therapy Offers Potential Protective Effect again Colon Cancer in Older Women

Study Suggests Hormone Therapy Offers Potential Protective Effect again Colon Cancer in Older Women

September 3, 2010

In a large study, a national team of researchers led by Mayo Clinic scientists observed that self-reported use of hormone therapy was associated with a significantly lower colorectal cancer risk. However, the mechanisms for the apparent protective association are still unclear. The study, being presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, was designed to look at possible links between estrogen exposure and colon cancer molecular subtypes, to determine how these hormones might function as anti-cancer agents. David Limsui, M.D., a fellow in the Department of Gastroenterology at Mayo Clinic, is the study's lead author.