How does personal or family cancer history intersect with decisions about hormone therapy?

Personal or family history of cancer, especially breast cancer, is an important factor when considering hormone therapy, but it does not automatically rule you out from using menopausal hormone therapy (MHT).

Here at Alloy, our medical experts and advisors emphasize that:

A family history of breast cancer alone is not a contraindication for hormone therapy. You can absolutely consider MHT even if you have a strong family history of breast cancer. This is supported by both clinical experience and current evidence. For a clear explanation, check out this brief video: Can You Take MHT if Breast Cancer Runs in Your Family?.
Decisions about hormone therapy should be individualized. It’s important to review your personal and family cancer history, the type of cancers, and other health factors with a menopause-trained clinician. The benefits and risks of MHT should be discussed in detail, considering your quality of life and personal risk tolerance.
If you carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation or have a high-risk family history but have not had breast cancer yourself, you can still be prescribed hormone therapy. This should be a shared decision with your healthcare provider, weighing your specific risks and needs. More on this is discussed in our Breast Cancer FAQs.
For those who have had breast cancer, especially estrogen receptor-positive types, the decision is more nuanced and should always involve your oncology and menopause care teams.

For a deeper dive into this topic, we highly recommend watching the chapter “Family History and Hormone Therapy” from Dr. Sharon Malone’s YouTube session, where she addresses whether a family history of breast cancer disqualifies you from hormone therapy. You can watch it here: Family History and Hormone Therapy.

If you want a comprehensive discussion about how family history, BRCA status, and personal cancer history intersect with hormone therapy, check out our conversation with Dr. Avrum Bluming and Dr. Corinne Menn: Menopause, Breast Cancer, and the Journey Forward.

At Alloy, we’re committed to providing evidence-based, personalized menopause care. If you’re interested in learning more about our hormone therapy options, visit our product page.

Remember, your decision should be made with a knowledgeable provider who can help you weigh the benefits and risks for your unique situation.

This answer was created using the following resources: