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Henze M, Stuckey BGA. Endocrine consequences of breast cancer therapy and survivorship. Climacteric 2024; 27:333-339. [PMID: 38867405 DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2024.2354725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer survivorship is increasing, due to earlier diagnosis of the disease and more effective therapies. Long-term endocrine sequelae, including early menopause, bone health, fertility implications and menopausal symptoms, are important survivorship issues. Ovarian failure is common with chemotherapy and options for preserving fertility in young women include ovarian suppression during chemotherapy and oocyte or embryo cryopreservation before chemotherapy. Tamoxifen as adjunct therapy in premenopausal women leads to ovarian stimulation, sometimes ovulation and occasionally pregnancy with important teratogenic implications. Aromatase inhibitor therapy with or without gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist leads to profound bone loss and anti-resorptive therapy is advised to prevent fracture. Tamoxifen acts to preserve bone in postmenopausal women but not premenopausal women. Pregnancy is not discouraged in young women with early breast cancer, even to the point of pausing adjunct therapy in order to conceive. However, menopausal hormone therapy is discouraged even years later. Non-hormonal therapy for menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors is available but, in some cases, estrogen-containing therapy may be worthy of consideration for quality of life in the informed patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meg Henze
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Bronwyn G A Stuckey
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Keogh Institute for Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
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2
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Coronado PJ, Gómez A, Iglesias E, Fasero M, Baquedano L, Sánchez S, Ramírez-Polo I, de la Viuda E, Otero B, Llaneza P, Mendoza N, Lubián DM. Eligibility criteria for using menopausal hormone therapy in breast cancer survivors: a safety report based on a systematic review and meta-analysis. Menopause 2024; 31:234-242. [PMID: 38385734 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) effectively alleviates menopausal symptoms. However, it is generally not recommended for breast cancer survivors, although the scientific evidence is scarce. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to establish eligibility criteria for use of the MHT in breast cancer survivors based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. EVIDENCE REVIEW We conducted exhaustive literature searches until June 2022 in MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, and EMBASE, using a tailored strategy with a combination of controlled vocabulary and search terms related to breast cancer survivors and MHT. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane and Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions tools. The quality of the evidence was graded according to grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations criteria (A, high; B, moderate; C, low; and D, very low). We categorized MHT use into four levels: category 1 (no restrictions on use), category 2 (the benefits outweigh the risks), category 3 (the risks generally outweigh the benefits), and category 4 (MHT should not be used). FINDINGS A total of 12 studies met the eligibility criteria. Analysis of the three randomized clinical trials using combined MHT or tibolone revealed no significant differences concerning tumor recurrence (relative risk [RR], 1.46; 95% CI, 0.99-2.24). A combined analysis of randomized clinical trials, prospective, and retrospective trials found no elevated risk of recurrence (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.54-1.33) or death (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.38-2.19). The eligibility criteria for patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive tumors fell into categories 3B and 3C for combined MHT or estrogen alone and 4A for tibolone. For HR-negative tumors, the category was 2B and 2C. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Our findings suggest that MHT could be a viable treatment alternative for breast cancer survivors experiencing menopausal symptoms, especially those with HR-negative tumors. Personalized management is recommended for each peri/postmenopausal woman facing a diminished quality of life because of menopause symptoms. Further randomized trials are needed before considering changes to current standards of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pluvio J Coronado
- From the Women's Health Institute, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, IdISSC, School of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Gómez
- Service of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospital General of Segovia, Spain
| | - Eva Iglesias
- Service of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospital de Valme, Sevilla, Spain
| | - María Fasero
- Corofas Menopause Clinic, Universidad Francisco de Victoria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Baquedano
- Service of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza University, Spain
| | - Sonia Sánchez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Quiron Salud Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Ramírez-Polo
- Salud Sexual y Reproductiva, Unidad de Gestión Clínica Cayetano Roldan, San Fernando, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Esther de la Viuda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Borja Otero
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital de Cruces, University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Plácido Llaneza
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Central de Asturias, Faculty of Medicine, Oviedo University, Spain
| | - Nicolás Mendoza
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Granada University, Spain
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3
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Gompel A. Menopause hormone treatment after cancer. Climacteric 2023; 26:240-247. [PMID: 37011657 DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2023.2176216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Regular improvement in survival of women after treatment for cancer has been reached in these last years. Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) remains the most efficient treatment to alleviate climacteric symptoms and improve quality of life in symptomatic women. The long-term effects of estrogen deficiency can be, at least partially, prevented by MHT. However, using MHT in an oncologic context can be associated with contraindications. Patients who have experienced breast cancer frequently face severe climacteric symptoms, but results from randomized trials are not in favor of using MHT in these women. Three randomized trials are available in women treated by MHT after ovarian cancer, and report better survival rates in the active group of treatment, suggesting that, at least in serous high-grade ovarian carcinoma, MHT could be allowed. No robust data are available for MHT after endometrial carcinoma. According to various guidelines, MHT could be possible in low grades with good prognosis. Progestogen, however, is not contraindicated and can help to alleviate climacteric symptoms. Squamous cell cervical carcinoma is not hormone-dependent and therefore patients can be treated with MHT without restrictions, whereas cervical adenocarcinoma is likely to be estrogen-dependent, despite lack of robust data, and thus only progesterone or progestin might be potentially used. It is possible that, in future, better molecular characterization of genomic profiles of various cancers may allow MHT to be used with some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gompel
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
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4
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Mendoza N, Ramírez I, de la Viuda E, Coronado P, Baquedano L, Llaneza P, Nieto V, Otero B, Sánchez-Méndez S, de Frutos VÁ, Andraca L, Barriga P, Benítez Z, Bombas T, Cancelo MJ, Cano A, Branco CC, Correa M, Doval JL, Fasero M, Fiol G, Garello NC, Genazzani AR, Gómez AI, Gómez MÁ, González S, Goulis DG, Guinot M, Hernández LR, Herrero S, Iglesias E, Jurado AR, Lete I, Lubián D, Martínez M, Nieto A, Nieto L, Palacios S, Pedreira M, Pérez-Campos E, Plá MJ, Presa J, Quereda F, Ribes M, Romero P, Roca B, Sánchez-Capilla A, Sánchez-Borrego R, Santaballa A, Santamaría A, Simoncini T, Tinahones F, Calaf J. Eligibility criteria for Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): a position statement from a consortium of scientific societies for the use of MHT in women with medical conditions. MHT Eligibility Criteria Group. Maturitas 2022; 166:65-85. [PMID: 36081216 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This project aims to develop eligibility criteria for menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). The tool should be similar to those already established for contraception A consortium of scientific societies coordinated by the Spanish Menopause Society met to formulate recommendations for the use of MHT by women with medical conditions based on the best available evidence. The project was developed in two phases. As a first step, we conducted 14 systematic reviews and 32 metanalyses on the safety of MHT (in nine areas: age, time of menopause onset, treatment duration, women with thrombotic risk, women with a personal history of cardiovascular disease, women with metabolic syndrome, women with gastrointestinal diseases, survivors of breast cancer or of other cancers, and women who smoke) and on the most relevant pharmacological interactions with MHT. These systematic reviews and metanalyses helped inform a structured process in which a panel of experts defined the eligibility criteria according to a specific framework, which facilitated the discussion and development process. To unify the proposal, the following eligibility criteria have been defined in accordance with the WHO international nomenclature for the different alternatives for MHT (category 1, no restriction on the use of MHT; category 2, the benefits outweigh the risks; category 3, the risks generally outweigh the benefits; category 4, MHT should not be used). Quality was classified as high, moderate, low or very low, based on several factors (including risk of bias, inaccuracy, inconsistency, lack of directionality and publication bias). When no direct evidence was identified, but plausibility, clinical experience or indirect evidence were available, "Expert opinion" was categorized. For the first time, a set of eligibility criteria, based on clinical evidence and developed according to the most rigorous methodological tools, has been defined. This will provide health professionals with a powerful decision-making tool that can be used to manage menopausal symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Mendoza
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain.
| | - Isabel Ramírez
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | | | - Pluvio Coronado
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Laura Baquedano
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Plácido Llaneza
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Verónica Nieto
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Borja Otero
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | | | | | - Leire Andraca
- Sociedad Española de Farmacia Comunitaria (SEFAC), Spain
| | | | - Zully Benítez
- Federación Latino Americana de Sociedades de Climaterio y Menopausia (FLASCYM)
| | - Teresa Bombas
- Red Iberoamericana de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva (REDISSER)
| | | | - Antonio Cano
- European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS)
| | | | | | - José Luis Doval
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - María Fasero
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Gabriel Fiol
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Nestor C Garello
- Federación Latino-Americana de Sociedades de Obstetricia y Ginecología (FLASOG)
| | | | - Ana Isabel Gómez
- Sociedad Española de Senología y Patología Mamaria (SESPM), Spain
| | - Mª Ángeles Gómez
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Silvia González
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | | | | | | | - Sonia Herrero
- Sociedad Española de Trombosis y Hemostasia (SETH), Spain
| | - Eva Iglesias
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Ana Rosa Jurado
- Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN), Spain
| | - Iñaki Lete
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Daniel Lubián
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | | | - Aníbal Nieto
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Laura Nieto
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Jesús Presa
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | | | - Miriam Ribes
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Pablo Romero
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | - Beatriz Roca
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Joaquín Calaf
- Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia (AEEM), Spain
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Abstract
ABSTRACT This article reviews the decades of evidence supporting the reproducible benefits of HRT for menopausal symptom control, improved cardiac health, prevention of hip fracture, reduction in the risk and pace of cognitive decline, and enhanced longevity. It quantifies the increased risk of thromboembolism associated with oral, though not transdermal, HRT. It evaluates the repeated claims that HRT is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer development, and, when administered to breast cancer survivors, an increased risk of breast cancer recurrence. Twenty-five studies of HRT after a breast cancer diagnosis, published between 1980 and 2013, are discussed, as are the 20 reviews of those studies published between 1994 and 2021. Only 1 of the 25 studies, the HABITS trial, demonstrated an increased risk of recurrence, which was limited to local or contralateral, and not distant, recurrence. None of the studies, including HABITS, reported increased breast cancer mortality associated with HRT. Even in the HABITS trial, the absolute increase in the number of women who had a recurrence (localized only) associated with HRT administration was 22. It is on the basis of these 22 patients that HRT, with its demonstrated benefits for so many aspects of women's health, is being denied to millions of breast cancer survivors around the world.
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6
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Bluming AZ. Safety of systemic hormone replacement therapy in breast cancer survivors. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2022; 191:685-686. [PMID: 34993765 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-021-06479-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Flores VA, Pal L, Manson JE. Hormone Therapy in Menopause: Concepts, Controversies, and Approach to Treatment. Endocr Rev 2021; 42:720-752. [PMID: 33858012 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnab011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Hormone therapy (HT) is an effective treatment for menopausal symptoms, including vasomotor symptoms and genitourinary syndrome of menopause. Randomized trials also demonstrate positive effects on bone health, and age-stratified analyses indicate more favorable effects on coronary heart disease and all-cause mortality in younger women (close proximity to menopause) than in women more than a decade past menopause. In the absence of contraindications or other major comorbidities, recently menopausal women with moderate or severe symptoms are appropriate candidates for HT. The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) hormone therapy trials-estrogen and progestin trial and the estrogen-alone trial-clarified the benefits and risks of HT, including how the results differed by age. A key lesson from the WHI trials, which was unfortunately lost in the posttrial cacophony, was that the risk:benefit ratio and safety profile of HT differed markedly by clinical characteristics of the participants, especially age, time since menopause, and comorbidity status. In the present review of the WHI and other recent HT trials, we aim to provide readers with an improved understanding of the importance of the timing of HT initiation, type and route of administration, and of patient-specific considerations that should be weighed when prescribing HT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie A Flores
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Lubna Pal
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - JoAnn E Manson
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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8
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Poggio F, Del Mastro L, Bruzzone M, Ceppi M, Razeti MG, Fregatti P, Ruelle T, Pronzato P, Massarotti C, Franzoi MA, Lambertini M, Tagliamento M. Safety of systemic hormone replacement therapy in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2021; 191:269-275. [PMID: 34731351 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-021-06436-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Symptoms of treatment-induced menopause negatively affect quality of life and adherence to endocrine therapy of breast cancer (BC) survivors. Nevertheless, the use of systemic hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to mitigate these symptoms may be associated with an increased risk of disease recurrence in these patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the safety of systemic HRT on risk of disease recurrence in BC survivors. METHODS A systematic search of PubMed up to April 20, 2021 was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the risk of disease recurrence with the use of HRT in BC survivors. A random-effect model was applied to calculate the risk of recurrence, reported as pooled hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A subgroup analysis was performed to estimate the risk of recurrence according to hormone receptor status. RESULTS Four RCTs were included in the meta-analysis (n = 4050 patients). Overall, 2022 patients were randomized to receive HRT (estrogen/progestogen combination or tibolone) and 2023 to the control group with placebo or no HRT. HRT significantly increased the risk of BC recurrence compared to placebo (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.12-1.91, p = 0.006). At the subgroup analysis, the risk of BC recurrence with the use of HRT was significantly increased in patients with hormone receptor-positive disease (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.15-2.82, p = 0.010) but not in those with hormone receptor-negative tumors (HR 1.19, 95% CI 0.80-1.77, p = 0.390). CONCLUSION Use of HRT was associated with a detrimental prognostic effect in BC survivors, particularly in those with hormone receptor-positive disease. Alternative interventions to mitigate menopause-related symptoms should be proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Poggio
- Medical Oncology 2, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Lucia Del Mastro
- Breast Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.,Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (Di.M.I.), School of Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Marco Bruzzone
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Marcello Ceppi
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Razeti
- U.O. Clinica di Oncologia Medica, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Piero Fregatti
- Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostic (DISC), School of Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.,Breast Surgery Clinic, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Tommaso Ruelle
- Medical Oncology 2, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Paolo Pronzato
- Medical Oncology 2, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Claudia Massarotti
- Physiopathology of Human Reproduction Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Lambertini
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (Di.M.I.), School of Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy. .,U.O. Clinica di Oncologia Medica, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.
| | - Marco Tagliamento
- Medical Oncology 2, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.,Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (Di.M.I.), School of Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
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Mudhune GH, Armour M, McBride KA. Safety of menopausal hormone therapy in breast cancer survivors older than fifty at diagnosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Breast 2019; 47:43-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Revised: 06/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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Garrido Oyarzún MF, Castelo-Branco C. Use of hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Safe and ethical? Gynecol Endocrinol 2017; 33:10-15. [PMID: 27898259 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2016.1247798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women and presently, the breast cancer survivors are an important group of women that faced the several consequences of estrogen deficiency, which is especially common in women after chemotherapy. The most bothersome is the vasomotor symptoms, which are effectively relieved by hormonal therapy (HT). Also, the increased risk of osteoporosis and coronary artery disease is major problem to be resolved in pos of maintaining a good quality of life. Fearing cancer recurrence, most physicians do not offer HT to women with a history of breast cancer. Over this issue reviews the available evidence of the use of HT and tibolone in women treated for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Fernanda Garrido Oyarzún
- a Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology , Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes , Santiago , Chile and
| | - Camil Castelo-Branco
- b Clinic Institute of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Hospital Clinic-Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
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11
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Treatment of climacteric symptoms in breast cancer patients: a retrospective study from a medication databank. Maturitas 2014; 78:228-32. [PMID: 24852403 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2014.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2013] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Women affected by breast cancer (BC) will often go through menopause at an earlier age and display more frequent and severe symptoms than women who have a natural menopause. The safety of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and vaginal estrogens for BC survivors has been debated over time and remains unclear. Non hormonal therapies such as antidepressants, gabapentine and clonidine may be useful for those patients but there are few data about their safety. AIM This retrospective study analyses the use by BC patients of treatments known to alleviate climacteric symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHOD Post-menopausal Estrogen Receptors positive (ER+) BC patients, aged 45-69, were identified as having bought, at least once, an aromatase inhibitor (AI) or tamoxifen between the years 2000 and 2012 through a pharmaceutical databank in Belgium. Among them, we defined users of a climacteric treatment those who bought, at least once, HRT, vaginal topical estrogens, antidepressants, clonidine and gabapentine. RESULTS We identified 2530 BC patients. Among them, 45% were buying a treatment known to alleviate menopausal symptoms. The majority of these treatments were non-HRT therapies. HRT and vaginal estrogens were seldom bought (respectively 1.1% and 6%), but 3% bought vaginal estrogens while buying AI. About 9.2% of tamoxifen users patients bought antidepressants implicated in tamoxifen metabolism at the same time as tamoxifen. CONCLUSIONS Most BC patients follow current guidelines contra-indicating the use of HRT after BC, they use non hormonal therapies. In some cases they use unfortunately antidepressants that may alter the metabolism of tamoxifen.
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12
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Chen WY. Postmenopausal hormone therapy and breast cancer risk: current status and unanswered questions. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 2011; 40:509-18, viii. [PMID: 21889717 PMCID: PMC3167091 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecl.2011.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Many women take hormone therapy (HT) for menopausal symptom relief. Studies have tried to clarify whether various factors can modify the risk of HT, such as the age at initiation, dose, duration, or type of HT, or characteristics of the individual, such as family history or body mass index. The relative risks of breast cancer associated with HT across various subgroups of women should be considered similar, but absolute risks can vary significantly among women and this may inform individual decision making. For breast cancer survivors, systemic HT should be discouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Y Chen
- Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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13
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Liedtke C, Kiesel L. Behandlung von klimakterischen Beschwerden bei Patientinnen mit Mammakarzinom. GYNAKOLOGISCHE ENDOKRINOLOGIE 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10304-010-0378-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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14
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Hormonersatztherapie nach Mamma- und Ovarialkarzinom. GYNAKOLOGISCHE ENDOKRINOLOGIE 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10304-009-0330-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Kontos M, Agbaje OF, Rymer J, Fentiman IS. What can be done about hot flushes after treatment for breast cancer? Climacteric 2010; 13:4-21. [DOI: 10.3109/13697130903291058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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16
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Hormones and breast cancer: can we use them in ways that could reduce the risk? Oncol Rev 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/s12156-008-0070-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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17
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Abstract
Exposure to higher levels of both exogenous and endogenous hormone is associated with breast cancer risk. Because of the association between breast cancer and HRT, only the minimal duration of HRT use is recommended for symptom control, and it is not recommended for chronic disease management. Current research issues include the role of progestins, other types of HRT, duration of unopposed estrogen use, and characteristics of cancers that develop on HRT. Circulating sex steroid levels are associated with breast cancer risk, but multiple issues need to be addressed before they are used routinely in clinical practice. Current research issues include measurement of levels for routine clinical practice, integration with standard breast cancer risk models and genetic polymorphism data, and applicability to estrogen-receptor-negative cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Y Chen
- Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 181 Longwood Avenue, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Messina MJ, Wood CE. Soy isoflavones, estrogen therapy, and breast cancer risk: analysis and commentary. Nutr J 2008; 7:17. [PMID: 18522734 PMCID: PMC2443803 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2891-7-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2008] [Accepted: 06/03/2008] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been considerable investigation of the potential for soyfoods to reduce risk of cancer, and in particular cancer of the breast. Most interest in this relationship is because soyfoods are essentially a unique dietary source of isoflavones, compounds which bind to estrogen receptors and exhibit weak estrogen-like effects under certain experimental conditions. In recent years the relationship between soyfoods and breast cancer has become controversial because of concerns – based mostly on in vitro and rodent data – that isoflavones may stimulate the growth of existing estrogen-sensitive breast tumors. This controversy carries considerable public health significance because of the increasing popularity of soyfoods and the commercial availability of isoflavone supplements. In this analysis and commentary we attempt to outline current concerns regarding the estrogen-like effects of isoflavones in the breast focusing primarily on the clinical trial data and place these concerns in the context of recent evidence regarding estrogen therapy use in postmenopausal women. Overall, there is little clinical evidence to suggest that isoflavones will increase breast cancer risk in healthy women or worsen the prognosis of breast cancer patients. Although relatively limited research has been conducted, and the clinical trials often involved small numbers of subjects, there is no evidence that isoflavone intake increases breast tissue density in pre- or postmenopausal women or increases breast cell proliferation in postmenopausal women with or without a history of breast cancer. The epidemiologic data are generally consistent with the clinical data, showing no indication of increased risk. Furthermore, these clinical and epidemiologic data are consistent with what appears to be a low overall breast cancer risk associated with pharmacologic unopposed estrogen exposure in postmenopausal women. While more research is required to definitively allay concerns, the existing data should provide some degree of assurance that isoflavone exposure at levels consistent with historical Asian soyfood intake does not result in adverse stimulatory effects on breast tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Messina
- Nutrition Matters, Inc, 439 Calhoun Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368, USA.
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19
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Schover LR. Reproductive Complications and Sexual Dysfunction in the Cancer Patient. Oncology 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/0-387-31056-8_90] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Biglia N, Mariani L, Marenco D, Robba C, Peano E, Kubatzki F, Sismondi P. Hormonal replacement therapy after gynaecological cancer. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 46:191-6. [PMID: 17068403 DOI: 10.1159/000095727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Thousands of women are treated each year for gynaecological cancers; many of these are already in menopause, while other younger patients will go into early menopause due to surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to the pelvic region. The aim of this paper is to review the biological and clinical evidence in favour and against hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use after gynaecological cancers. With the exception of breast and endometrial cancer, there is no biological evidence that HRT may increase the recurrence risk. In women with previous endometrial cancer, HRT use is not supported by univocal and conclusive data to formulate specific recommendations, whereas most authors suggest that oestrogens may be used after adequate information about risks and benefits. The use of HRT in breast cancer patients is, at present, considered contra-indicated, even if results of clinical trials are not concordant. Therapeutic non-hormonal alternatives may be proposed to these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Biglia
- Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (IRCC), Academic Department of Gynaecological Oncology, University of Turin, Candiolo, Italy.
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Xydakis AM, Sakkas EG, Mastorakos G. Hormone Replacement Therapy in Breast Cancer Survivors. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2006; 1092:349-60. [PMID: 17308160 DOI: 10.1196/annals.1365.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
It is well known that women with breast cancer who undergo therapies beyond the surgical intervention (adjuvant chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or both) often suffer from the lack of estrogen, manifesting as climacteric symptoms in either treated premenopausal or postmenopausal women. Although HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is traditionally viewed as a contraindication in women with a history of breast cancer, more women are willing to receive HRT for symptom relief. No observational or retrospective study in breast cancer survivors (whether in pre- or postmenopausal women) has shown an increased risk of tumor recurrence or increased mortality associated with HRT use. Nevertheless, because these studies are retrospective and different in terms of lymph node status, estrogen receptor (ER) status, and type of HRT used, firm conclusions on potential HRT use cannot be safely drawn. The few prospective studies appear controversial possibly due to differences in the studies' design. A potential scheme for possible HRT use in selected breast cancer survivors with severe climacteric symptoms is suggested. The duration of HRT use is debatable because there is insufficient evidence at present. However, the available data suggest that 3-year and possibly 5-year HRT use may be safe. In summary, while HRT cannot currently be recommended as first-line therapy, it may still be of benefit in the management of selected early stage breast cancer survivors with refractory climacteric symptoms after a well-informed decision and an individualized risk benefit discussion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios M Xydakis
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynicology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Abstract
Several lifestyle factors affect a woman's risk of gynaecological cancer and-potentially-can be modified to reduce risk. This chapter summarises the evidence for the effect of lifestyle factors on the incidence of gynaecological malignancy. The incidence of obesity is increasing in the developed world such that it now contributes as much as smoking to overall cancer deaths. Women with a body mass index (BMI)>40 have a 60% higher risk of dying from all cancers than women of normal weight. They are also at increased risk from gynaecological cancer. Dietary factors significantly influence the risk of gynaecological cancer: fruit, vegetables and antioxidants reduce risk whereas high animal fat and energy intakes increase risk. Alcohol intake adversely affects breast cancer risk, possibly accounting for 4% of all breast cancers. Physical activity protects against ovarian, endometrial and postmenopausal breast cancer, independently of BMI. The oral contraceptive pill has a substantial and long-lasting effect on the prevention of ovarian and endometrial cancer and is one of the best examples of large-scale chemoprevention in the developed world. Childbearing is protective against ovarian, endometrial and breast cancer but increases the risk of cervical cancer. Smoking acts as a cofactor in cervical carcinogenesis and increases the risk of ovarian cancer, particularly mucinous tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gudrun Rieck
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park,Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
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Pérez DG, Loprinzi CL, Sloan J, Novotny P, Barton D, Carpenter L, Smith D, Christensen B, Rummans T. Pilot Evaluation of Bupropion for the Treatment of Hot Flashes. J Palliat Med 2006; 9:631-7. [PMID: 16752968 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2006.9.631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bupropion is commonly used in the treatment of nicotine dependence and depression, and in most people, does not cause sexual dysfunction, weight gain, or sedation. Given its attractive side effect profile, the efficacy of other newer antidepressants against hot flashes and anecdotal observations of resolution of hot flashes in some patients taking bupropion for nicotine dependence, it was decided to explore its clinical activity as a hot flash remedy in a pilot study. Between January 1999 and October 2004, 21 patients (7 men and 14 women) were enrolled in the study. Self-completed daily hot flash diaries were used to document the frequency and severity of hot flashes at baseline (week 1) and during the treatment period (weeks 2 through 5). Participants received bupropion 150 mg every morning for the first 3 days and then 150 mg twice per day for a total of 4 weeks. One woman did not provide any hot flash information and was excluded from the analysis. Five women could not complete the study because of side effects. The study did not show a reduction in hot flash frequency and/or severity significantly higher than what would be expected with a placebo. Even though the sample size was small, these results are consistent with bupropion's mechanism of action (norepinephrine reuptake inhibition without serotonergic effects) and what it is now hypothesized about the pathophysiology of hot flashes (increased noradrenergic activity and decreased serotonergic activity). These data suggest that bupropion should not be further investigated as a remedy for hot flashes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domingo G Pérez
- Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA
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Batur P, Blixen CE, Moore HCF, Thacker HL, Xu M. Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) in patients with breast cancer. Maturitas 2006; 53:123-32. [PMID: 16368466 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2005.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2004] [Revised: 02/21/2005] [Accepted: 03/17/2005] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) on reoccurrence, cancer-related mortality, and overall mortality after a diagnosis of breast cancer. METHODS We performed a quantitative review of all studies reporting experience with menopausal HT for symptomatic use after a diagnosis of breast cancer. Rates of reoccurrence, cancer-related mortality, and overall mortality were calculated in this entire group. A subgroup analysis was performed in studies using a control population to assess the odds ratio of cancer reoccurrence and mortality in hormone users versus non-users. RESULTS Fifteen studies encompassing 1416 breast cancer survivors using HT were identified. Seven studies included a control group comprised of 1998 patients. Among the 1416 HT users, reoccurrence was noted in 10.0% (95% CI: 8.4-11.6%). Cancer-related mortality occurred at a rate of 2.6% (95% CI: 1.8-3.7%), while overall mortality was 4.5% (95% CI: 3.4-5.8%). Compared to non-users, patients using HT had a decreased chance of reoccurrence and cancer-related mortality with combined odds ratio of 0.5 (95% CI: 0.2-0.7) and 0.3 (95% CI: 0.0-0.6), respectively. CONCLUSIONS In our review, menopausal HT use in breast cancer survivors was not associated with increased cancer reoccurrence, cancer-related mortality or total mortality. Despite conflicting opinions on this issue, it is important for primary care physicians to feel comfortable medically managing the increasing number of breast cancer survivors. In the subset of women with severe menopausal symptoms, HT options should be reviewed if non-hormonal methods are ineffective. Future trials should focus on better ways to identify breast cancer survivors who may safely benefit from HT versus those who have a substantial risk of reoccurrence with HT use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pelin Batur
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Women's Health Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Crown Centre II, Independence, OH 44131, USA.
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Callejo J, Cano A, Medina M, Villaronga M, Gonzalez-Bosquet E, Sabria J, Lailla JM. Hormonal environment in the induction of breast cancer in castrated rats using dimethylbenzanthracene: influence of the presence or absence of ovarian activity and of treatment with estradiol, tibolone, and raloxifene. Menopause 2005; 12:601-8. [PMID: 16145314 DOI: 10.1097/01.gme.0000172269.32573.34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The influence of hormone therapy on the induction or the promotion of breast cancer has yet to be determined. Recent studies establish a cause-effect relation between hormones and cancer, although epidemiological data and studies of tumor behavior give rise to doubts. The aim of the study was to observe and evaluate the influence of different hormonal environments on the induction of breast cancer in a well-established experimental model. DESIGN In this experimental animal study, breast cancer was induced by using a single intragastric dose of 20 mg of dimethylbenzanthracene in prepubertal Sprague-Dawley rats randomized into five groups: group 1 (control); group 2 (castrated prepubertal animals); and groups 3, 4, and 5 (castration of prepubertal animals followed by hormonal treatment starting at puberty [11 weeks] with tibolone, raloxifene, and estradiol, respectively). Follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels were measured at 6, 11, 16, and 31 weeks. RESULTS Absence of ovarian activity was observed in groups 2, 3, 4, and 5, as well as the expected variations in hormone levels in all groups. Breast cancers were obtained in 100% of the animals in the control group, with an average of four (two to seven) tumors per animal in this group. Only one cancer appeared in groups 2, 3, and 4, and none appeared in group 5. CONCLUSIONS In this experimental model and using the hormone treatments chosen, neither the treatments nor the absence of ovarian activity induced breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justo Callejo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Déu, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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Casey MJ, Synder C, Bewtra C, Narod SA, Watson P, Lynch HT. Intra-abdominal carcinomatosis after prophylactic oophorectomy in women of hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome kindreds associated with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Gynecol Oncol 2005; 97:457-67. [PMID: 15863145 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2005.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2004] [Revised: 01/21/2005] [Accepted: 01/31/2005] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prophylactic surgical removal of the ovaries has been offered for many years as a potential preventative of ovarian cancer in women deemed to be at increased hereditary risk for this disease. Now, it is possible to test for specific mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that render members of hereditary breast ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome families susceptible to cancer. Widespread intra-abdominal carcinomatosis, which mimics metastatic ovarian serous carcinoma, has been reported following oophorectomy in individuals at increased hereditary risk. This study was undertaken to examine and report particularly the occurrence of intra-abdominal carcinomatosis, as well as other cancers, following prophylactic oophorectomy in patients who carry cancer susceptibility mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 and to assess the cumulative risks for this disease in order to assist in developing appropriate surgical interventions, based on currently available information, and to counsel patients who choose prophylactic surgery, concerning the potential prognosis, thereafter. METHODS The Creighton University Hereditary Cancer Institute registry was searched for members of HBOC syndrome families who had undergone prophylactic oophorectomy. The histories and results of DNA testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations carried in their families were recorded, tabulated and examined, and the aggregate data are reported along with pertinent details of those individuals who developed neoplastic diseases after prophylactic oophorectomy. All available histologic and cytologic materials of patients who were diagnosed with intra-abdominal carcinomatosis were reviewed, and life-table calculations were performed to assess cumulative risks for this disease following prophylactic oophorectomy. RESULTS From 72 HBOC syndrome families that carried either BRCA1 or BRCA2 cancer-associated mutations, 238 individuals who had undergone prophylactic oophorectomy were recorded in our registry between January 1985 and December 2002. During a mean follow-up of 9.3 years, cancers were diagnosed in 27 subjects, including 16 individuals with breast cancer and five patients with intra-abdominal carcinomatosis. Breast cancers were stage I in 10 of 12 proven carriers of cancer-associated mutations. All five cases of intra-abdominal carcinomatosis were serous carcinomas, and all occurred in BRCA1 mutation carriers. Histologic review of the prophylactically removed ovaries found borderline lesions in two cases, one with possible early stromal invasion. Two of the five patients who developed intra-abdominal carcinomatosis were among 78 patients in this series who were diagnosed and treated for breast cancer before prophylactic oophorectomy. A 3.5% cumulative risk for all mutation carriers and a 3.9% cumulative risk for BRCA1 mutation carriers were calculated through 20 years of follow-up after prophylactic oophorectomy. CONCLUSIONS Intra-abdominal carcinomatosis in our series was diagnosed only in BRCA1 mutation carriers. The calculated cumulative risks of developing intra-abdominal carcinomatosis after prophylactic oophorectomy in members of HBOC syndrome families, specifically those who carry deleterious mutations, are well below the estimated risks of ovarian cancer published in the literature for similar patients. Breast cancers, which tended to be small and localized, were the most common malignancy in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers after prophylactic oophorectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murray Joseph Casey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Creighton University School of Medicine and the Creighton Hereditary Cancer Institute, Creighton University Medical Center, 601 North 30th Street, Suite 4700, Omaha, NE 68131, USA.
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Col NF, Kim JA, Chlebowski RT. Menopausal hormone therapy after breast cancer: a meta-analysis and critical appraisal of the evidence. Breast Cancer Res 2005; 7:R535-40. [PMID: 15987460 PMCID: PMC1175064 DOI: 10.1186/bcr1035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2005] [Revised: 04/06/2005] [Accepted: 04/08/2005] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) is typically withheld from breast cancer survivors because of concerns about risk for recurrence. Our objectives were to estimate the effects of HT on recurrence in breast cancer survivors and to examine the reliability of these estimates. METHODS In a systematic review of the literature we identified all reports of HT use in breast cancer survivors that included comparison groups. Study design features that might affect selection of participants, detection of recurrence, and manuscript publication were assessed. The relative risks for breast cancer recurrence associated with HT were combined with random effects models. RESULTS Two randomized and eight observational studies included 1,316 breast cancer survivors who used HT and 2,839 nonusers. In the observational studies, HT users were younger and more commonly node negative; only two reported balanced restaging for HT and control groups. Randomized trials suggest that HT increased the risk for recurrence (relative risk 3.41, 95% confidence interval 1.59-7.33), whereas observational studies suggest that HT decreased this risk (relative risk 0.64, 95% confidence interval 0.50-0.82). CONCLUSION Results from observational studies of HT conducted in breast cancer survivors are discrepant with results from randomized trials. Observational studies of HT use in breast cancer survivors have design limitations that cannot be controlled for using standard statistical methods. Therefore, the randomized clinical trial data provide the only reliable estimates of the effect of HT use on recurrence risks in breast cancer survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nananda F Col
- Brown Medical School and Harvard University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Jung A Kim
- Department of Nursing, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
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Reed SD, Newton KM, Lacroix AZ. Indications for hormone therapy: the post-Women's Health Initiative era. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 2004; 33:691-715. [PMID: 15501641 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecl.2004.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Information from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial has given physicians valuable tools for counseling women aged 50 to 79 years about the short-term risks of hormone therapy (HT). Unanswered questions remain, particularly on the risks and benefits of discontinuing HT among long-term users. The decision to discontinue HT should be carefully considered, because stopping and re-starting after several months may "reset the clock" for risks associated with changes in hepatic protein synthesis. The current authors recommend low-dose transdermal hormonal formulations,but no large-scale randomized trials exist to confirm the veracity of this recommendation. It has been suggested that starting HT in the menopausal transition would alleviate the HT risks observed withWHI. Until additional data are available to counsel women in the menopausal transition, however, the conservative counseling approach is to apply those figures available from the WHI, particularly because women aged 50 to 59 years using estrogen-progestin therapy have an unfavorable risk-benefit ratio, similar to that seen in older women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan D Reed
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center, 325 9th Avenue, Box 359865, Seattle, WA 98115, USA.
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Abstract
Understanding the association between hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the diagnosis of breast cancer, and the clinical outcome of women who develop breast cancer in the setting of HRT continue to present important challenges for health professionals and the public. The general impression in the medical community is that breast cancer is diagnosed more frequently after prolonged HRT; however, whether a causative relationship exists between HRT and breast cancer remains uncertain. Despite the increase in breast cancer diagnosis, clinical outcome of the disease appears favorable for women who develop breast cancer after HRT; HRT users tend to present with more localized tumors that exhibit favorable histology, and overall death from breast cancer appears reduced. The history of breast cancer constitutes a contraindication for HRT as a general rule, based on the concern that HRT may activate dormant cancer cells. Direct evidence for this practice is very limited; available studies are small and mostly retrospective, but do not indicate an adverse effect of HRT on breast cancer recurrence. In reaching a clinical decision regarding HRT, the expected benefits (largely improvement of menopausal symptoms) must be weighed against the potential risks of HRT (especially breast cancer) for each individual woman.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena Vassilopoulou-Sellin
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Anti-aging medicine literaturewatch. JOURNAL OF ANTI-AGING MEDICINE 2003; 6:45-64. [PMID: 12971397 DOI: 10.1089/109454503765361588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Abstract
Hot flashes can be a major problem for patients with a history of breast cancer. The precipitation of menopause in premenopausal women who undergo chemotherapy for breast cancer can lead to the rapid onset of hot flash symptoms that are more frequent and more severe than those associated with natural menopause. In addition, tamoxifen, historically the most commonly prescribed pharmacologic agent for the treatment of breast cancer, is associated with hot flashes in more than 50% of its users. Although estrogen relieves hot flashes in 80-90% of women who initiate treatment, its use in women with a history of breast cancer is controversial, and most physicians in the community will not use this treatment modality. In addition, the results of the long-awaited Women's Health Initiative study and other recent studies suggest that long-term estrogen therapy should not be recommended for most women for a variety of reasons. However, hot flashes in breast cancer survivors should no longer be considered untreatable, as there are many pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments that can help alleviate this problem. This article reviews the current strategies for the management of hot flashes in breast cancer survivors and the evidence supporting their use.
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Gorins A, Espié M, Bedairia N, Perret F, Tournant B, Novak H, Lucchi-Angelier E, Marty M. Thérapeutique hormonale substitutive après cancer du sein : une étude de 230 patientes, avec cas-témoins. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003; 31:614-9. [PMID: 14563605 DOI: 10.1016/s1297-9589(03)00189-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES After recalling the classical contra-indication of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) concerning patients with a personal history of breast cancer (BC), and arguments that may be opposed, the authors report the present results of a prospective study undertaken in the Center of Breast Diseases in Saint-Louis hospital in Paris since February 1992. PATIENTS AND METHODS By April 2001, 230 patients had been included. A free interval of 2 years at least since the treatment of the primary BC has been observed. The reasons for prescribing HRT were vasomotor troubles (flushes, nightly sweats) or a dyspareunia, which were severe and not controlled by non-hormonal treatments. There was also an indication of a major osteoporotic or cardiovascular danger. In fact, many of these patients had a premature, artificial, chemo-induced menopause. The HRT most often used was an estro-progestin association (estradiol + a progestin compound) given either continuously or with a 5-d interruption each month. The mean duration of treatment was 2.5 years. RESULTS Results, concerning the improvement of menopause troubles, were remarkable in the great majority of troubles. HRT had to be stopped in 39 cases, reading as follows: 17 cases for relapses (seven local, six in the contro-lateral breast and four metastases (7%)). Also, 22 patients (9%) interrupted their HRT for serious side-effects. A case-control study did not show any significant difference between with and without HRT patients concerning the overall survival without relapse. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Quality of life of patients was often substantially improved, and a deleterious effect on the cancer disease was not found. Our results are in agreement with the literature from other countries. However, one must be cautious. In such circumstances, HRT must be prescribed with the informed consent of the patients and delivered in appropriate hospital and university centers. It is wished that large randomised prospective studies may be undertaken.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gorins
- Centre des maladies du sein, hôpital Saint-Louis, 1, avenue Claude-Vellefaux, 7574, Paris, France.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P Cohen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
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Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2003; 12:253-68. [PMID: 12733480 DOI: 10.1002/pds.789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Hot Papers in the Literature. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2003. [DOI: 10.1089/154099903321154185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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