Young. Breast cancer. Menopause?
Menopause talk is everywhere. On our phones, in the news, the hot topic amongst friends. But as a younger woman with breast cancer in treatment-induced menopause, it can feel like none of it applies to you.
Some side effects of treatment-induced menopause include:
• Pain, burning, tightness
• Dryness that feels sandpaper-sharp
• Hot flashes
• Painful or impossible sex
• Recurrent UTIs
• Pelvic discomfort every single day
These side effects can impact your relationships, identity and mental health. They can also make women consider stopping their therapy early so they can have some relief.
But staying on endocrine therapy is one of the strongest predictors of long-term survival. Finding ways to tolerate therapy and improve quality of life is integral.
For some women, vaginal hormones can help manage symptoms and encourage compliance with breast cancer medications.
Despite Health Canada recommending against vaginal hormones in breast cancer survivors, large studies have found that vaginal hormone use after breast cancer has not been shown to increase recurrence risk.
Treatment-induced menopause and its side effects suck, there’s no denying that. But there are things that can actually help (unlike generic menopause advice). Advocate for care tailored to you and that supports your your long-term health and survival.
Here are some ways you can start to advocate for yourself:
• Ask your oncology team about your treatments and options
• Consult a menopause-informed gynecologist
• Discuss all options, hormonal and non-hormonal
• Prioritize both your comfort and your survival
Studies for more information:
• Systemic or Vaginal Hormone Therapy After Early Breast Cancer: A Danish Observational Cohort Study
• Vaginal Estrogen Therapy Use and Survival in Females With Breast Cancer (JAMA)
• Vaginal estrogen use in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of recurrence and mortality risks (PubMed)
• Safety of Vaginal Estrogen Therapy for Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause in Women With a History of Breast Cancer (PubMed)
• Vaginal estrogen therapy for treatment of menopausal genitourinary syndrome among breast cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis (PubMed)
