Management of menopausal symptoms in women with gynecologic cancers

Marcela G Del Carmen; Laurel W Rice

doi:10.1016/j.ygyno.2017.06.013

Management of menopausal symptoms in women with gynecologic cancers

Gynecol Oncol. 2017 Aug;146(2):427-435. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2017.06.013. Epub 2017 Jun 16.

Authors

Marcela G Del Carmen¹, Laurel W Rice²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States. Electronic address: mdelcarmen@partners.org.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI, United States.

PMID: 28625396
DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2017.06.013

Abstract

Objective: Women with gynecologic malignancies will be cured or may become long-term survivors. Management of menopausal symptoms is important in addressing their quality of life. We review the benefit and safety of hormone therapy use in these patients.

Methods: MEDLINE was searched for studies on menopause management published in English through December of 2016.

Results: Available data suggest that short-term use of hormone therapy in gynecologic cancer patients who do not have an estrogen-dependent malignancy do not adversely impact oncologic outcome and results in improvement of menopausal vasomotor and genitourinary symptoms. Evidence regarding safety of hormone therapy use in women with estrogen-dependent gynecologic malignances is currently lacking.

Conclusions: Candidates for hormone therapy in gynecologic oncology include women with menopausal symptoms diagnosed with low-grade, early-stage endometrial cancer, cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancer, and ovarian cancer.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Affect
Estrogen Replacement Therapy / adverse effects
Estrogen Replacement Therapy / methods*
Fatigue / drug therapy*
Female
Genital Neoplasms, Female / surgery*
Hot Flashes / drug therapy*
Humans
Menopause*
Patient Selection
Quality of Life*
Risk Assessment
Survivors*