Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Estrógeno
Estrogen (ES-truh-jin)
A type of hormone made by the body that helps develop and maintain female sex characteristics and the growth of long bones. Estrogens can also be made in the laboratory. They may be used as a type of birth control and to treat symptoms of menopause, menstrual disorders, osteoporosis, and other conditions.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.