Hormone modulating therapy (HMT) used for the treatment of breast cancer was associated with a 7% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias later in life, according to a new study published today in JAMA Network Open . The study, which is one of the largest of its kind, found that although HMT was linked with protection against the development of dementia overall, the association decreased with age and varied by race. Our findings emphasize the importance of being cognizant of individual patient factors when we prescribe medications or develop treatment plans for breast cancer.

It's not one-size-fits-all. We need to think about each individual patient to optimize outcomes and minimize risks." Francesmary Modugno, Ph.

D. M.P.

H., senior author, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and member of Magee-Womens Research Institute and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center About two-thirds of breast cancer patients have tumors that are hormone receptor positive, meaning that they grow in response to estrogen or progesterone. For these patients, HMT can impede tumor growth by blocking hormones from attaching to these receptors.

While use of HMT is linked with increased survival, there is conflicting evidence about whether it increases or decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), debilitating conditions that are characterized by memory loss, changes in mood or behavior, and di.