Breast cancer survivors entering menopause face the risk of several menopausal symptoms:
- Hot flashes, the most common symptom, occur in more than 75% of women during menopause and have the potential to persist for as long as 15 years.1 That lengthy interval becomes a major issue for patients, especially when hot flashes are associated with other menopausal symptoms, including sleep disruption, difficulty concentrating, and emotional instability (crying, irritability).
Painful intercourse and loss of interest in sexual activity often develop as a result of vaginal atrophy and dryness.
- Urinary tract symptoms include urgency and, compared to the patient’s history, more frequent infections.
- Bone loss is a concern for many women after breast cancer, especially if they are, or have been, on aromatase inhibitor therapy.
Depression might be related to hormonal changes due to menopause or hormonal therapies, a consequence of merely having a diagnosis of cancer, or an adverse effect of chemotherapy.
In this brief review, I’ll examine options for treating symptoms of menopause by strategy—lifestyle modifications, over-the-counter treatments, and prescription drugs. Separately, I’ll look at options for managing genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).
CASE 1
Rose is a 56-year-old woman who presents to clinic with a new breast mass, felt on breast self exam. The mass is about 1 cm, mobile, and firm. Diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound confirm a worrisome mass; biopsy returns positive with a 9-mm invasive, estrogen-receptor positive, ductal carcinoma with negative sentinel nodes at the time of lumpectomy. Radiation therapy was completed. She then met with oncology and decided against chemotherapy. Instead, she began an aromatase inhibitor 3 months ago. Bone density showed osteopenia. She presents to your office reporting frequent bothersome hot flashes and disrupted sleep.
Strategy #1: Lifestyle adaptations
First-line interventions for menopausal women who have had breast cancer usually involve taking a critical look at lifestyle and undertaking modifications that can alleviate discomfort. Because overall health is important for women who have had breast cancer, you should, across the spectrum of patients, encourage them to:
- increase physical activity
- reduce body weight by approximately 10% (if overweight or obese)
- reduce alcohol consumption
- stop smoking
- ensure adequate intake of calcium (1,200 mg, preferably by diet)
- optimize the level of vitamin D, including by increasing intake of fresh fish, eggs, and numerous other fortified foods.
The value of nondrug therapy for hot flashes is difficult to prove. Certain lifestyle changes are sensible, even if not evidence-based, and will help some women (but not others). We suggest that patients try lowering the temperature in the home (65–68˚ at night); running a fan; wearing clothing that can be removed in layers; and avoiding triggers such as spicy food, alcohol, cigarettes, and hot drinks. Hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have been shown to help in clinical trials. Measures with benefit and minimal risks, but effectiveness not established, include acupuncture (sham worked as well as traditional), exercise, yoga, paced respiration, relaxation training, and mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Continue to: Strategy #2: OTC compounds...