BRCA and HRT: The Research That Changes Everything

This one's personal, so bear with me for a moment.

My mum passed away from breast cancer. It's the reason I went and got tested for the BRCA gene mutation. The waiting for those results is not something I'd wish on anyone. Mine came back negative, which was an enormous relief. But it didn't stop me thinking about all the women whose results go the other way.

Which is exactly why this research caught my eye.

Women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations face a much higher risk of ovarian and breast cancer. Many are advised to have their ovaries removed in their 30s or 40s as a preventative measure – which triggers immediate, often severe, surgical menopause. And until now, HRT has largely been considered off the table for them, based on fears it would push their breast cancer risk even higher.

Here's where it gets interesting. A new study following 676 matched pairs of women with BRCA mutations found that those who took HRT actually had fewer breast cancer cases than those who didn't – 12.9% versus 18.9%. PubMed Oestrogen alone showed the most encouraging results, while combined oestrogen and progestogen showed no harmful effect either way. Oxford Academic

It's one study. More research is coming. But for women who've been suffering through surgical menopause without proper support, it's a hopeful shift – and absolutely worth raising with your specialist.

A friendly reminder: I'm sharing what I've learned, not prescribing what you should do. Always chat with your GP about what's right for your unique situation!

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