Table 5

Hazard ratios of dying from breast cancer in relation to use of menopausal hormone therapy


Breast cancer deaths/exposed (n)
Mortality ratea
Hazard ratio (95% confidence interval)b
Hazard ratio (95% confidence interval)c

Never use
230/1,491
1.9
1.0 (reference)
1.0 (reference)
Current used
46/477
1.1
0.55 (0.40 to 0.77)
0.63 (0.42 to 0.95)
     By duration




          <5 years
28/216
1.5
0.73 (0.48 to 1.13)
0.76 (0.45 to 1.27)
          ≥ 5 years
18/260
0.8
0.42 (0.26 to 0.68)
0.52 (0.29 to 0.93)
     By regimen




          Estrogen-progestin
37/391
1.1
0.54 (0.37 to 0.77)
0.59 (0.38 to 0.91)
          Estrogen alone
8/80
1.1
0.59 (0.29 to 1.20)
0.78 (0.34 to 1.80)
Past usee
34/219
1.9
1.01 (0.71 to 1.45)
1.03 (0.68 to 1.54)
     By duration




          <5 years
25/155
1.9
1.04 (0.69 to 1.58)
1.02 (0.64 to 1.63)
          ≥ 5 years
9/64
1.7
0.94 (0.48 to 1.83)
1.02 (0.48 to 2.17)

Observations with missing information on menopausal hormone therapy, recent mammography, tumor size, or lymph node involvement excluded. aBreast cancer deaths per 100 person-years. bAdjusted for age at diagnosis (5-year categories), recent mammography (yes/no). cAdjusted for age at diagnosis (5-year categories), recent mammography (yes/no), adjuvant endocrine therapy (yes/no) and adjuvant chemotherapy (yes/no), tumor size, and lymph node involvement. dLast use <6 months before diagnosis. eLast use at least 6 months before diagnosis.

Rosenberg et al. Breast Cancer Research 2008 10:R78   doi:10.1186/bcr2145