The effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on a woman's chances of getting breast cancer has been underestimated, experts say. A new study in the British Journal of Cancer suggests that women who have treatment that combines estrogen and progestin are almost three times more likely to get breast cancer than those who do not.

Treating Menopause Symptoms HRT is used, usually by women in their 50s, to treat uncomfortable symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, mood changes, and depression. There are two main types of hormone replacement therapy. One uses only estrogen. The other, called combined HRT, replaces estrogen that the body no longer makes and adds progestin to lower the chance of getting uterine cancer. It can be taken as a pill or by an implant, skin patches, a cream, or a gel.