I've written before about the risks for breast-cancer survivors of taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Now, based on recent research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, I feel the need to revisit this vital subject.

Here's the scoop on HRT: Breast cancer survivors who opt to take HRT after their breast cancer treatment are placing themselves at considerable increased risk of having a recurrence of their disease.

Although previous studies had shown that HRT increases breast-cancer incidence in healthy women, HRT's impact on breast-cancer survivors hadn't been established until now. The estimated 5-year cumulative rate for disease recurrence for those breast-cancer survivors who take HRT was 22.2 percent, compared to 14 percent for survivors not taking female hormones-that's increasing your risk by almost 60 percent.

On hearing these statistics, you might respond, "Well, my breast cancer was hormone-receptor negative. Isn't it okay for me to take HRT?" No, it isn't. And don't assume that a possible future recurrence will carry the same prognostic factors that your original cancer did. (I developed a new primary breast cancer in my other breast 2 years after my original diagnosis, and it was a totally different animal - it was the same type of breast cancer, but just the opposite for hormone and HER2neu receptors. It happens.)

If you have been treated for breast cancer but unrelenting menopausal symptoms have compelled you to take HRT, meet with your doctor to discuss this in more detail. Find out what alternatives are available beyond what you have tried thus far. Drugs like Effexor have proven to reduce hot flashes. Chillow® pillows help to cool night sweats. Avoiding spicy foods and hot beverages can also cut your flashes considerably. And don't underestimate the benefit of vaginal lubricants when they are used routinely, and not just during sex.