A major study in 2002 connected HRT to a higher risk of breast cancer, as well as heart disease and strokes. From 2001 to 2004, breast cancer rates declined by nearly 9 percent, according to information published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The fact that the rates leveled off in 2004 is compelling evidence that the earlier decline was connected to the discontinuation of hormone use by large numbers of women and not just a coincidence, researchers contend.

In related news, results of a UK study indicate that long-term use of replacement hormones could raise the risk of ovarian cancer.

Valerie Beral, MD, and colleagues found that women who had been used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for five years or more were 20 percent more likely to develop ovarian cancer and 23 percent more likely to die of the disease than women who had never used HRT.

Despite the latest findings, short-term use of HRT continues to be an acceptable medical option for women with severe symptoms during menopause, according to many health experts.