October Midlife Wellness Spotlight: Breast Cancer & Hormone Therapy
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when women are reminded to take charge of their breast health through screenings, prevention, and education. For many women in midlife, the conversation about breast cancer often overlaps with another big topic: hormone therapy.
There’s been a lot of confusion about whether hormone therapy is safe…decades of headlines, changing study results, and social media chatter have left many women wondering: Is hormone therapy safe for me?
Let’s walk through what we know today.
Why Women Are Reconsidering HRT
For many women in midlife, hormone therapy can:
Relieve hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and sleep problems
Improve vaginal dryness and sexual health.
Support bone strength and lower the risk of osteoporosis
What HRT doesn’t do: it isn’t recommended to prevent heart disease, stroke, or dementia.
When to Be Cautious
HRT may not be the right choice if you have:
A personal or strong family history of breast cancer or other cancer that is hormone dependent
A history of blood clots, pulmonary embolism, or uncontrolled high blood pressure
Tobacco use or significant cardiovascular risk factors
A hereditary mutation that makes blood clotting more likely
NOTE OF CAUTION: Be wary of hormone pellets and practitioners selling “supplements”. These forms of hormone therapy are not FDA-regulated and can deliver unsafe hormone levels. Also, repeated blood tests to “check hormone levels” or lab work are usually not necessary unless you don’t have periods and you aren’t certain if you are menopausal - whether that’s due to a progestin IUD, endometrial ablation, or a hysterectomy. This lab work is often costly and unnecessary.
Midlife Wellness: More Than Hormones
Even if HRT isn’t right for you, many steps support breast and overall health at midlife:
Stay up to date on mammograms and breast self-awareness
Keep moving: Exercise reduces the risk of both breast cancer and heart disease.
Optimizing your nutrition and managing extra weight will significantly help with hot flashes, menopausal symptoms, and reduce lifelong risks of heart disease and diabetes.
Limit alcohol; alcohol affects sleep, particularly in perimenopause, and increases breast cancer risk.
The bottom line: prioritize sleep, stress management, exercise, and nutrition.
Your Next Step This October
Every woman deserves personalized care, not one-size-fits-all advice. If you’re struggling with menopausal symptoms or wondering if hormone therapy is safe for you, schedule a visit with your OB/GYN, nurse practitioner, or midwife. There are a significant number of non-medical people and companies selling supplements/ quick-fix remedies for menopause; be cautious of anyone who is monetizing your health.
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let this be your reminder: knowledge is power, and wellness in midlife is about balance, prevention, and being empowered to make the best choice for you.
Nurse Practitioner Erica Stephenson breaks down the facts about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer risk — what the research really shows, and why individualized care matters.
If you’ve been considering hormone therapy but have questions or concerns, please contact us to schedule an appointment! We’re here to provide compassionate, evidence-based guidance so you can make confident decisions about your health.
