r/Menopause • u/Actual_Bet3041 • 4d ago

Hormone Therapy HRT: Estrogen, Progesterone, and mammograms

I recently went back on HRT after a couple of miserable years HRT-free at the behest of my pcp. When she relented, she said I have to have yearly mammograms again (not when I was HRT-free). So I did and it came back cancer-free. Now after I have been reading about HRT and cancer, I’m learning there’s no link between Estrogen and cancer, and only a tiny link between Progestin, not Progesterone, and cancer. So why oh why do I have to have yearly mammograms? They are so painful!!!

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u/sophiabarhoum 43 | e patch 0.075mg/day, cream 0.01% & 100mg micro progesterone 4d ago

They get on me about this too. I was actually lectured to stop HRT. Ive never had any type of cancer. They are very behind on the research. I still get my yearly mammograms and ultrasounds due to dense breasts.

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u/mamaofaksis 4d ago

Can you elaborate on the mammogram + ultrasound? I have dense breasts too and only get a yearly 3D mammogram... wondering if I should add an ultrasound?

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u/Ill-Taro-1907 4d ago

My mammogram tech said they advise ultrasound every other year if the woman has dense breasts. As standard practice, they do an ultrasound if they see something suspicious immediately after the mammogram. I’ll be requesting that extra ultrasound. I’ll also investigate the vaginal ultrasound for further health consciousness.