|
|
Article: Osteoporosis: common test can't predict hip fracture.
- Article from:
- HealthFacts
- Article date:
- July 1, 1996
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 Center for Medical Consumers, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The push is on to get all women over the age of 50 on estrogen therapy to prevent heart disease and osteoporosis. But this hormone drug regimen may make it more difficult to diagnose breast cancer. In many women, estrogen increases breast density, which makes mammograms more difficult to interpret. Dense breast tissue does not provide enough contrast on an x-ray.
The finding was confirmed in a new study of nearly 9,000 postmenopausal women who were enrolled in the breast cancer screening program of a health maintenance organization in Washington State (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 15 May 1996). The group contained a mix of women who were current, past, ...