PARIS — How can we manage menopause symptoms induced by treatment for cancer or those occurring naturally after a woman has had cancer? Should hormone replacement therapy be offered? What alternatives are available? Martha Hickey, MD, PhD, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, reviewed the evidence in a session at the FIGO 2023 Gynecology and Obstetric Congress.
In women being treated for cancer, "menopause-related symptoms are one of the most common consequences of anticancer therapy," said Hickey. These symptoms worsen fatigue and sleep issues and can also impact treatment efficacy, causing patients to neglect their treatment or even stop it completely.
Early menopause may be caused by surgery to remove the ovaries, chemotherapy resulting in poor ovarian function, hormone suppression therapy, or radiation therapy. The effect may be temporary or permanent, depending on age, type of medicine, the dose administered, and the treatment duration.
HRT Not Recommended
To improve their quality of life, "affected women seek help for vasomotor symptoms as a priority, as well as for fatigue, vaginal dryness, and sexual problems." It is estimated that half of survivors of breast cancer and cancers affecting the pelvic region develop long-term sexual issues.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be considered to lessen these symptoms, but only in certain conditions, said Hickey.
