Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project

Introduction

Study characteristics:

• 1980-1995
• 46,355 women enrolled

Results:

• increased risk of breast cancer in women taking estrogen
• combined estrogen plus progesterone associated with a higher risk than estrogen alone
• increased risk restricted to current estrogen use or use within 4 years
• unopposed estrogen (without progesterone) is associated with an increased risk of uterine bleeding & uterine carcinoma
• progesterone in combination with estrogen eliminates increased risk of uterine bleeding & endometrial carcinoma with unopposed estrogen, but may reduce beneficial effects of estrogen on serum lipids

More general terms

• clinical trial