Breast cancer treatment and menopausal symptoms

Menopausal symptoms Back to top

Women naturally stop having regular periods usually between their mid-40s and mid-50s. The menopause, or change of life, happens because the ovaries stop producing the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone.

The change in hormone levels can cause a number of symptoms including:

• hot flushes and sweats
• vaginal dryness
• needing to pass urine more often
• a lower sex drive
• tiredness
• sleeplessness
• dry skin
• aches and pains
• mood swings
• poor concentration
• loss of confidence and memory.

 

Women may have just one of these symptoms or more. The symptoms can vary from mild to more severe.

The menopause, and particularly an early menopause, may cause other effects on the body. These include thinning of the bones (osteoporosis) and heart disease. These effects develop at different rates in different people. Their tendency to develop is, at least partly, passed on from your parents (genetically determined).

Breast cancer treatments and the menopause Back to top

The sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone can encourage the growth of breast cancer cells. Treatment for breast cancer| often involves hormonal therapy|, which blocks oestrogen from getting to breast cancer cells, or reduces the level of oestrogen in the body. These treatments may cause an early menopause or menopausal symptoms.

Surgery|, radiotherapy|, chemotherapy| and hormonal therapy may be used alone or in combination to treat breast cancer.

Some of these treatments can affect the function of the ovaries. They may cause your menopause to begin earlier than expected, or they may cause you to have menopausal symptoms.

Infertility Back to top

Infertility can be very hard for women to deal with, whether they already have children or not. It can be especially hard when you're already coping with cancer.

Some organisations| offer support to women with fertility problems. Some women find it helpful to talk through their feelings with family, friends, or their nurse or doctor. If you feel that you need more specialised help, your doctor can refer you to a counsellor.