Taking hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) medications that combine progesterone and estrogen for menopause symptoms increases your chance of breast cancer by about 75% while you’re on the medication. But once you stop taking the medication, your risks go down.
It’s safest not to use progesterone for menopause. But if you need relief from your symptoms, there are ways to reduce the risks of breast cancer from HRT. These options may include using estrogen-only therapy or reducing how long you take medicines that include progesterone.
If you are going through menopause, talk to your doctor about how you can manage your symptoms while limiting your risks of breast cancer.