Should the use of hormones for contraception and during menopause be contraindicated in women with high-penetrance mutations?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29289/2594539420250056Keywords:
hormone therapy, mutation, contraceptionAbstract
Medical genetics is one of the fields with the greatest advancements in medical knowledge. The discovery of genes that determine greater susceptibility to certain neoplasms has motivated a vast amount aimed at determining the best management of patients with these mutations. The use of hormones, both as contraception and during menopause, for these women is a subject of ongoing debate — given their involvement in the pathophysiology of breast neoplasia. This article, therefore, aims to review the available literature on the topic. Thirteen publications were selected for narrative review. Regarding contraception, individualized assessment of these patients is still paramount in indicating hormonal contraception, with no formal contraindication to its use for patients with high-penetrance mutations. Regarding hormone therapy (HT), there are also no absolute contraindications. Consideration is only given to patients who have not undergone mastectomy. In such cases, HT can be considered for short periods, ideally using micronized progesterone in patients with a uterus.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Virginia de Assis Silva, Waldeir José de Almeida Junior, Arthur Chaves de Almeida, Letícia Martins de Araújo Campos Linhares
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