Professor Dennison says long-term HRT slightly raises breast cancer risk

What was said

"Because if you take it for more than 5 years, you see this slightly increased risk of breast cancer, which is why bone alone would not be enough. It's a small increased risk as because there's a background risk in everyone even if they've never so much as looked at HRT, but it does go up if you take HRT longer term."

Professor Ela Dennison says HRT can help prevent menopause-related bone loss while it is being taken, but argues it should not be used solely for bone protection. She says use beyond about five years is linked to a small increase in breast cancer risk, and notes other bone-protective medicines are available.