A Retrospective Study on the Onset of Menopause after Chemotherapy: Analysis of Data Extracted from the Jean Perrin Comprehensive Cancer Center Database Concerning 345 Young Breast Cancer Patients Diagnosed between 1994 and 2012.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Young breast cancer (BC) patients receiving chemotherapy are at risk of chemotherapy-induced menopause (CIM). We sought to define the incidence rate of premature menopause after chemotherapy and to retrospectively investigate factors related to the onset of menopause.

METHODS:

We identified BC patients who had received chemotherapy at the Cancer Center (Centre Jean-Perrin). We selected premenopausal women aged between 18 and 50 years at the moment of diagnosis who received chemotherapy between 1994 and 2012.

RESULTS:

Of the 345 selected patients, the median age was 42 years (interquartile range: 38-46). CIM was defined as amenorrhea for at least 2 years following the end of chemotherapy. A total of 260 premenopausal women versus 85 menopausal women were included. Among the 85 menopausal women, only 46 were in the CIM group (13.3%). This rate increased in the group of women aged >43 years at diagnosis and with early hot flushes.

CONCLUSION:

CIM occurred in 13.3% of BC patients after chemotherapy. Age >43 years and early hot flushes were significantly associated with the risk of CIM. We suggest that the definition of CIM should be standardized in the literature: "amenorrhea of at least 2 years" seems a good cutoff, although 2 patients recovered their menstrual cycles beyond this limit.

• Authors: Joyce Dohou, Marie-Ange Mouret-Reynier, Fabrice Kwiatkowski, Marie Arbre, Pauline Herviou, Mélanie Pouget, Catherine Abrial, Frédérique Penault-Llorca
• Journal: Oncology (Oncology) Vol. 92 Issue 5 Pg. 255-263 ( 2017) ISSN: 1423-0232 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 28171863 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal

Topics

• Adult
• Age of Onset
• Amenorrhea (chemically induced)
• Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal (adverse effects)
• Breast Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant (adverse effects)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Menopause (drug effects)
• Middle Aged
• Retrospective Studies