As a menopause specialist, I see many patients who have entered menopause due to cancer treatments, and I know they need much more support. I look after breast cancer patients in my busy NHS clinic in Scotland . These women often feel excluded and forgotten as they face unique challenges in managing menopausal symptoms, which include hot flushes, night sweats, fatigue, joint ache, a whole host of sexual health related symptoms and so many more.
READ MORE: 'Breast cancer treatment plunged me into menopause - but no one talks about it' Patient's ultra-rare cancer was 'dismissed as the menopause' Menopause is 'not a disease' and is being 'over-medicalised', say experts in Lancet Colleges in Scotland launch national staff menopause policy Many women with a history of cancer say they have little to no guidance on managing menopause after cancer treatment. Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, surgery, and targeted therapies, can induce menopause by damaging the ovaries or altering hormone production. Many women are unprepared for the severity of the symptoms they experience and they just don’t know where to go for help.
Chemotherapy, for example, targets rapidly dividing cells, which can include healthy ovarian cells, leading to ovarian damage and menopausal symptoms. Radiation therapy, particularly when aimed at the pelvic region, can damage the ovaries and cause ovarian failure. Hormone therapies used to treat cancers like breast cancer can block.