Frequently Asked Questions about the WHI Estrogen plus Progestin Trial
Issues Specific to Women in the Estrogen Alone Study
These questions and answers supplement the 2002 WHI HRT Update sent to all WHI participants in July 2002. This information has been superceded by the 2004 Hormone Program Update.
- Will this new information change anything for me?
- Why should I stay on study pills? How will it affect the study if I stop taking them?
- I am in the estrogen alone trial of WHI. What should I do?
- I heard about a study that reported a higher risk of ovarian cancer in women taking estrogen alone. Given this news, should I still take my estrogen-alone study pills?
1. Will this new information change anything for me?
Answer: The study of estrogen alone continues as before, because we are still evaluating benefits and risks of this treatment. It's important to note that:
- No increased risk of breast cancer has been observed at this time in women taking estrogen alone versus placebo pills.
- Your WHI clinic staff will continue to monitor your health every 6 months.
- These new findings highlight the importance of having your annual mammograms and WHI exams, returning study forms, and keeping your scheduled appointments.
- Your continued participation will help us learn whether there are any increased risks or benefits from taking estrogen alone.
- The WHI Data and Safety Monitoring Board will continue to review the data every 6 months and we will inform participants if they have new recommendations.
This information has been superceded by the 2004 Hormone Program Update.
2. Why should I stay on study pills? How will it affect the study if I stop taking them?
Answer: The WHI is designed to answer many important questions about women’s health. The findings about the estrogen plus progestin study answer only some of the questions about hormones and women’s health. Many questions remain about the effects of estrogen alone. We do not know if the risks and benefits of taking estrogen alone are the same as the risks and benefits of taking estrogen plus progestin.
This information has been superceded by the 2004 Hormone Program Update.
3. I am in the estrogen alone trial of WHI. What should I do?
Answer: The estrogen alone study is continuing. If you are in that study, we hope you will continue taking your study pills unless your WHI clinic staff asked you to stop. Please contact your local WHI Clinic Practitioner before you consider making any changes in your study pills.
This information has been superceded by the 2004 Hormone Program Update.
4. I heard about a study that reported a higher risk of ovarian cancer in women taking estrogen alone. Given this news, should I still take my estrogen-alone study pills?
Answer: An observational study published in July 2002 did report a higher risk of ovarian cancer in women who had a hysterectomy, kept at least one ovary, and took estrogen only for 10 or more years. Only 5% of the participants in the WHI estrogen-alone clinical trial had these characteristics when they joined WHI. Generally, a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer is small compared to her risk of the other diseases being studied in the WHI--breast cancer, colorectal cancer, heart disease, or hip fractures. However, each woman should consider her own unique risk profile when thinking about how these study findings relate to her.
The balance of risks and benefits of taking estrogen-alone remains uncertain,and the WHI estrogen-alone study will provide answers about this overall balance. The Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) is closely monitoring the WHI study and has been asked to provide their thoughts on the HRT and ovarian cancer observational study in the context of the current WHI estrogen-alone study. Participants will be updated if the DSMB makes any recommendations that would affect their WHI participation.
This information has been superceded by the 2004 Hormone Program Update.