The climacteric and gynaecological cancers.

Epidemiologic data show how the climacteric is definitely an high risk period for the developing of genital and mammary neoplasias. This can be probably explained for the genital district by the hyperestrogenic situation that the climacteric woman experiences and by the promoting effect that estrogens have on the neoplastic growth. As far as the mammary cancer concerns the reproductive history would seem to be more important than the perimenopausal hormonal in determining the high risk woman. Estrogen replacement therapy would seem to be dangerous only for the endometrium while little or no effect can be demonstrated for the ovary and the breast. The combined estrogen-progesterone therapy all the beneficial effects and seems to be absolutely safe.