Drop in HRT Use Tied to Fewer Mammograms

Because of the health risks associated with hormone therapy, many women abandoned hormone drugs five to 10 years ago. Those same women now appear to be skipping their annual mammogram, according to a report in the journal Cancer.

Nancy Breen, Ph.D., at the National Cancer Institute, found that women ages 50 to 64 reduced their hormone therapy use from 41 percent down to 16 percent between 2000 and 2005.

"At the same time, that age group dropped their mammogram use from 78 percent to 73 percent," Dr. Breen says. "And we found those two drops were associated."

Missing appointments

Dr. Breen believes that women aren't getting mammograms because they're not returning to their doctors for hormone therapy prescriptions.

Using the National Health Interview Survey, the largest population-based national sample on mammography use, Dr. Breen looked at data on 7,125 women interviewed in 2000 and 7,387 women interviewed in 2005. All were 50 or older.

They found that those between the ages of 50 and 64 were more likely to report a recent mammogram if they were still taking hormone therapy or had seen their doctor in the past 12 months. Levels of insurance and education were other variables that played a part.

Other methods needed

If women are skipping mammograms because they're not seeing their doctor about hormone use, ''health care providers should find other ways to contact these women to encourage screening," says Daniel B. Kopans, M.D., a member of the Breast Imaging Commission for the American College of Radiology.

The death rate from breast cancer, unchanged for 50 years before screening, has decreased by more than 30 percent, primarily because of screening, Dr. Kopan says. He suggests that women create a unique system to remind them that it's time for their annual mammogram.

"My sister and her girlfriend go every year at the same time, and we all go to dinner afterward."

Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.