[Review] Menopausal hormone treatment and breast cancer

Breast cancer risk is a central concern in shared decision-making when considering menopausal hormone treatment (MHT). Women spend approximately 40% of their lives in menopause, and climacteric symptoms can substantially impair quality of life. MHT is the most effective strategy to treat climacteric symptoms. MHT can consist of the administration of oestrogen only in women who have undergone hysterectomy or a combined treatment of oestrogen and progestogen in women with a uterus. The risk of breast cancer associated with MHT varies with both the individual's baseline risk of breast cancer and the type of treatment.