Will progesterone cause and/or promote cancer?

Will progesterone cause and/or promote cancer?

Estrogen gives a cancerous cell the message to proliferate. To divide and multiply. Progesterone, on the other hand, whilst not a cure for cancer, can dramatically decreases cell multiplication rates, providing women with a degree of protection against estrogen-driven cancers.

Uterine cancer, for example, is known to be caused by unopposed estrogen. That’s why women who have an intact uterus and take estrogen replacement therapy must also be given some form of progesterone to oppose estrogen and reduce this risk. This is generally given in the form of synthetic progestogens, which is not the same molecule as progesterone but is designed to block estrogen effects.

Progesterone deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, while normal levels of progesterone in the body actually help protect you against some forms of cancer.

Finally, if you have been diagnosed with cancer, never introduce progesterone therapy without first discussing it with your doctor.