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Karen E. Steinberg, PhD; Stephen B. Thacker, MD, MPH
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Ga

JAMA. 1993;270(22):2686.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

In Reply.

—Dr Meyer discusses the implication that increased parenchymal density of breast tissue associated with HRT will obscure occult malignant masses. This is a legitimate concern that should be taken into account by women who are at high risk for breast cancer, who are on HRT, and who have increased breast density.

Meyer speculates that increased density, when focal, may presage the development of a malignant process. Since he saw that densities regressed soon after HRT was terminated, one can infer that the hormones may promote tumor growth. This inference may be supported by recent evidence from a large epidemiologic study that showed that current use of HRT was associated with a small but significant increase in risk of breast cancer.¹ Meyer also wonders why the increase in parenchymal density was only seen in 24% of women on HRT. That the increase occurred in a minority of the . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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