Case Western Reserve University study suggests early estrogen therapy shows no increased health risks

CLEVELAND, Ohio — A new Case Western Reserve University study suggests that pre-menopausal women who used estrogen prior to menopause showed no significantly higher rates of breast cancer, heart attack and stroke compared to women who started estrogen after menopause or did not use it at all.

These findings highlight the potential benefit of earlier initiation of estrogen therapy during perimenopause for minimizing risk and optimizing long-term health outcomes, university researchers said.

The study was the largest-ever analysis of hormone replacement therapy using real-world patient data, the university said.

Study results were recently presented at the 2025 annual meeting of The Menopause Society in Orlando.

Estrogen therapy is effective and generally safe for managing bothersome m