Definition: A meta-analysis is an analysis that combines data from several studies on the same subject. The NCI says its results are usually stronger than the results of any one study by itself. Labels and reviews use meta-analyses to give one pooled number, often a relative risk.
| Label | What the meta-analysis found |
|---|---|
| Bijuva | Breast cancer: relative risk 2.08 with 5 to 14 years of current estrogen plus progestin use (24 studies) |
| Bijuva | Ovarian cancer: relative risk 1.37 with current estrogen plus progestin use |
| Climara | Ovarian cancer: relative risk 1.41 with hormone therapy |
| Divigel | Breast cancer: relative risk 1.33 with 5 to 14 years of current estrogen-only use (24 studies); ovarian cancer 1.37 with current estrogen-only use (17 studies) |
Estrogen alone and estrogen plus progestin give different pooled numbers, so the label of each product reports the one that matches what it contains. These sit in the labels next to results from the Women's Health Initiative, a single large trial.
A meta-analysis is only as narrow as the question it pools. The Bijuva breast cancer figure applies to current use for 5 to 14 years, not to any use. Each pooled number is a relative risk, so the absolute change depends on how common the cancer is to begin with.
Pooled numbers are often tied to how long a drug was used. A log with your start date and any breaks gives you and your prescriber your own length of use to set against them.
Read more on Dose Track: Bijuva side effects · Climara side effects · Divigel side effects · Menopause