Common menopause medication might prevent breast cancer while treating hot flashes

Kulkarni presented the study last week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago. 

The findings are preliminary and have not yet been published in a medical journal.

“What excites me most is that a medication designed to help women feel better during menopause may also reduce their risk of invasive breast cancer,” said the doctor, who is also a Northwestern Medicine breast surgeon.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), also known as stage 0 breast cancer, affects more than 60,000 U.S. women each year. (iStock)

Women who face a higher risk of breast cancer — including those who have experienced “high-risk lesions” — and who also have menopausal symptoms are most likely to benefit from the drug, according to Kulkarni. 

“These women are typically advised against standard hormone therapies, leaving them with few menopausal treatment options,” the release stated. 

Study limitations

The researchers said they are “encouraged” by these early results, but more research is required before the medication can be considered for approval as a breast cancer prevention mechanism.

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“Our findings suggest that CE/BZA may prevent breast cancer, but larger studies with several years of follow-up are needed before we would know this for sure,” Kulkarni told Fox News Digital.

Post-menopausal patients who took the CE/BZA reported fewer hot flashes during the study. (iStock)

Dr. Sheheryar Kabraji, chief of breast medicine at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York, was not involved in the study but commented on the findings.

“While intriguing, this study is highly preliminary, and more research will be needed before we can conclude that conjugated estrogen/bazedoxifene (CD/BZA), a form of the hormone estrogen commonly prescribed to address symptoms of menopause, prevents invasive breast cancer or is effective at reducing cancer risk,” he told Fox News Digital.

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Kabraji also noted that the study focused on reducing levels of one specific protein, “which does not always predict reduced recurrence of breast cancer.” 

“This study did not directly show that CE/BZA treatment reduces the risk of DCIS recurrence or development of invasive cancer,” he noted. 

“While intriguing, this study is highly preliminary.”

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

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