A study to be published in Jan 2012 Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health by McMaster University researchers have found consistent evidence that use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with breast cancer globally.  This study comes at a time when more women are seeking HRT medication from the doctors to control the symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, weight gain and mood swings.

Raised levels of sex and growth hormones can triple the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women, a study has shown.

Scientists looked at the combined effect of hormones on a woman's cancer chances - and found that one hormone at higher than normal levels increased the breast cancer risk by 10 per cent.

But the risk for women with five or six hormones at raised levels was doubled, while having seven or eight tripled the odds of getting cancer.