The use of synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), a combination of synthetic progestin plus estrogen, increases the risk of breast cancer. Synthetic HRT is highly accessible, typically cost-effective, and the most frequently prescribed treatment for symptomatic menopausal, peri-menopausal, and postmenopausal women. However, bio-identical progesterone may be safer and more effective in alleviating symptoms without increasing breast cancer risk. A meta-analysis of published research was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bio-identical progesterone compared to synthetic progestin. Eight articles were analyzed with the Daemen College databases: Academic Search Complete and MEDLINE. All studies found bio-identical progesterone to be safe and efficacious compared to synthetic progestin. The use of bio-identical progesterone is safer as well as being more effective in alleviating menopausal symptoms and decreasing breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. All findings stated that synthetic progestin increased breast cancer risk, a risk of breast cell proliferation, tumor incidence, angiogenesis, increased endothelial growth, and worsened endometrial functions.
