Menopause and cancer

If you’re having cancer treatment as a younger woman, you may experience an early menopause. This could be temporary or permanent depending on your treatment.  It can feel an additional challenge when you have so much else to deal with.

The information on this page will help you to find out more about the menopause and cancer.  We’ll focus on ways to help manage the symptoms, including how Maggie’s can support you.

Menopause and cancer explained

If you’re going through cancer treatment and having periods, you may find that the disruption to your hormones causes an early menopause. 

In some cases, the menopause will only be temporary, but for others it will be permanent.  It depends on the type of treatment you’re having, and how near you are to the natural menopause. 

Normally, the menopause is a natural process which happens as a woman reaches her early 50’s. It is caused by the change in a woman’s hormones as she gets older. It’s often a significant milestone, as periods gradually stop, and pregnancy is no longer possible.

Menopausal symptoms

Symptoms include hot flushes and sweats, fatigue, vaginal dryness, poor concentration, mood changes and low mood.

You may find the texture of your hair and skin changes, and some women have headaches and aching joints. It can also affect your sex life and libido, which can be an additional upset at a time when you may be feeling vulnerable.

The symptoms are often more intensely experienced  when the menopause is caused by treatment, as your hormone supply will stop more suddenly. It happens with some types of chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. This particularly (but not exclusively) can affect women with gynaecological and breast cancer.

Even If you’ve been through the menopause already, it is still possible to experience symptoms again, especially with some of the hormone treatments for breast cancer.

Fertility concerns

Some of you may have natural concerns about the impact of your cancer treatment on your fertility, whether you were planning a family in the near future or not. It is important to raise your concerns early on, before treatment starts. Measures to preserve your fertility, if possible, can be discussed at this point.

The emotional impact of loss of fertility can be very difficult - and it is understandable that you may need extra support. You can find out more in our section on fertility and cancer.

Managing the menopause and cancer

An early menopause can seem another huge step in a life already affected by cancer and its treatments. However, there are a number of things you can do to help relieve the symptoms and cope with the hormonal and emotional dips the menopause may bring.

• Find out from your healthcare team about the treatment you’re having, and whether this will cause an early menopause.
• Ask whether the menopause will be temporary or permanent, and the possible impact on your fertility. 
• If you’re on treatment, and you’re noticing the symptoms of the menopause are severe, talk things through with your doctor and/or specialist nurse. There are a number of ways the symptoms can be managed - but the team needs to know about how the menopause is affecting you. 
• Doctors can often help by prescribing medications which may help reduce some of your symptoms. 
• There are things you can do that may help ease some of the symptoms. Stress management, relaxation, gentle exercise, massage and acupuncture can be effective. 
• Work out your triggers - hot flushes, in particular, can be set off by a hot room, spicy food, hot drinks, restrictive clothing, stress and anxiety. (See our webpage - hot flushes and cancer,  for further advice on managing this symptom).
• A common symptom is vaginal dryness, which can be uncomfortable, cause bladder infections and impact on your sex life. This can be an additional stress when you may already be lacking confidence with intimacy. Ask your GP or specialist nurse about creams and lubricants that can help ease the symptoms.
• You may find you put on weight. This can feel demoralising, especially as you may feel you have no control over the situation. A healthy, balanced diet and exercise plan can help to take some control back and be better for your general health too. 
• Mood swings, feeling irritable, anxious or depressed can affect women going through menopause. Concentration can also be a problem. Speaking with your healthcare team and opening up to family and friends and finding support can help. Ask about local cancer support groups at our Maggie’s centres.
• You may have been on HRT (hormone replacement therapy) before your cancer diagnosis. In many cases HRT will be stopped, particularly if your cancer is hormone sensitive (breast or endometrial cancer, for example). Stopping HRT suddenly can bring on a surge of menopausal symptoms.
• Any treatment-induced menopause, particularly if you’re in your twenties or thirties, can cause intense symptoms. It can feel a lot to deal with, on top of your cancer treatment. Ask your health care team how they will monitor your bone and heart health in the years post menopause.
• You may have read about various supplements that can help. These include red clover, black cohosh, isoflavones and soya products. There is an ongoing debate about whether they should be taken by women with breast cancer.
• Other products like evening primrose oil or sage are sometimes suggested. Before taking any of these products, check with your team, as some of the supplements can interfere with your cancer treatments.

The three key tips that can help you cope with a treatment-induced menopause are to focus on healthy eating, regular exercise and learning to relax and de-stress. 

Your local Maggie’s centre can help in all these areas. Drop in and ask about our nutrition and healthy eating workshops.

Find out about the range of activities on offer that can help with both body and mind - and have a safe space to talk through how you feel.

When to seek further help

• Many symptoms interlink with the menopause. It can be hard to tell at times whether it is the treatment, other medications or the menopause causing how you feel. If you notice any new symptoms, or are concerned in any way, let your doctor know.
• If you notice vaginal spotting or bleeding after your periods have stopped, inform your GP or hospital health care team as some treatments can cause this problem.
• The menopause can add to feelings of low self esteem, anxiety and depression. If these symptoms are affecting you on a daily basis and you’re finding coping emotionally difficult, let your doctor/healthcare team know. It’s sometimes hard to reach out for support, but it can be a positive step to recovery.

What now?

Have a look at our blogs and links on this page to find out more about coping with treatment-induced menopause. 

Talk with others about what you are experiencing. It can help to hear that what you’re feeling is not unusual, and help you feel less alone. Call into your local Maggie’s centre to talk to our cancer support specialists and connect with others in a similar position to yourself.