Researchers love to lump (no pun intended) estrogen and progesterone receptors together when talking about breast cancer. But they are not the same by any stretch of the imagination, and the action of estrogens and progesterone when it comes to breast cancer are worlds apart. For that matter, you can’t even lump all estrogens together. Estrone and estradiol are cancer promoting, whereas estriol may be cancer protective. And then, of course there are the synthetic estrogens and progesterones and the petroleum based xenoestrogens — potent and cancer promoting in amounts as low as a billionth of a gram. In the world of hormones and breast cancer, these differences are not subtle; they are fundamental.
The connection between estrogen, and breast cancer (with alcohol an added catalyst) is all but proven, but what about the connection between progesterone and cancer? After all, much of the cancer risk referred to above is associated with those 70 percent of tumors classified as estrogen-receptor/progesterone receptor-positive.
Progesterone is an ovarian steroid hormone that is essential for normal breast development during puberty and in preparation for lactation and breastfeeding. The actions of progesterone are primarily mediated by its high-affinity receptors, which include the (PR)-A receptor and its -B isoforms, which are located in tissue throughout the body, including the brain, where progesterone controls reproductive behavior, the reproductive organs, and of course the breasts.
As I said earlier, the role of estrogen as a potent breast mitogen (a substance that triggers cell division) is undisputed, and inhibitors of the estrogen receptor and estrogen-producing enzymes (aromatases) are now recognized as effective first-line cancer therapies. However, progesterone receptor action in breast cancer has barely been studied, and the results of those studies are ambiguous at best — and, in fact, when a connection is found at all, it is associated with the use of progestins (synthetic progesterones), not natural or bio-identical progesterones.
Progestins are frequently prescribed for contraception or during postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy, in which the progestins are combined with synthetic estrogens as a means to block estrogen-induced endometrial growth. As I have said, the role of estrogen as a potent breast mitogen is undisputed, and inhibitors of the estrogen receptor and estrogen-producing enzymes (aromatases) are effective first-line cancer therapies. But there is no evidence of any note that indicates that natural progesterone is connected to an increased incidence of breast cancer. In point of fact, most evidence indicates that it is breast cancer inhibitory.
With much love,
Lea Yekutiel
New Book on Breast Cancer Offers Tools to Overcome Fear of
Intimacy
California author recounts her own experience with breast cancer and
mastectomy in Making the Breast of It: Overcoming Fear of Intimacy After
Mastectomy.
In her book, Lea shares her story and gently guides the reader through
her five points of how to reclaim femininity and overcome the challenge
and common fear every woman who experienced breast cancer or
mastectomy.
These are the five messages that the author conveys in her book:
- How to connect with the spiritual aspect of your life.
- How to realize that you are not your breast.
- How to accept your new image and love it.
- How to feel like a whole woman again.
- And recognize that sexuality exudes from inside out and not from
outside in.
Lea considers her mastectomy experience to be a gift from God. Today,
she helps cancer survivors on their journey towards recovery, peace and
happiness.
A true moving story, a story of inspiration, hope, empowerment,
encouragement, and never ever giving up–a story of how to honor yourself and grow spiritually. Most of all, it is a story of how you, too, can
accept yourself completely and enjoy feeling like a whole woman again.
Making the Breast of It offers insight into the psyche of women who
live with breast cancer or with one breast or none. It offers tools how to
overcome the fear of intimacy, while educating the man in their life
as well.
“I got new insight about living with One Breast. Living with one
Breast was not an issue for intimacy with men anymore. It was how I
projected myself…as a result I found my soul mate.”
Judee Rimon – a nurse
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Tags: Breast Cancer, intimacy, Love, mastectomy, progestrone, relationships
