Just at a time in women’s lives when hormone changes are already causing challenging symptoms, adding cancer into the mix can seem daunting, to say the least.
Natural menopause is defined as 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual period and is the beginning of post menopause. For those who have had their ovaries surgically removed or have had treatment-related effects on hormone production (such as from chemotherapy), menopause often happens abruptly.
In either scenario, and often long before, many symptoms can become obtrusive to the point of interfering with daily life. These include hot flashes and night sweats, which are collectively referred to as vasomotor symptoms. They also include the genitourinary syndrome of menopause: vaginal dryness, urinary tract changes, libido concerns and pelvic floor dysfunction. Add-in unwanted weight gain, sleep disruption, fatigue and musculoskeletal changes and you’re starting to get the picture: Menopause can be complex to navigate.
An important consideration is the impact that menopause has on cancer risk. Hormones aside, the natural aging process, combined with lifestyle choices, will contribute more to cancer risk than most familial patterns, with some genetic exceptions. The most well-known genetic risks are in people who have the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.
Breast cancer is a concern for most women, mostly because it is relatively common. Fortunately, just going through menopause does not increase the personal risk for breast cancer. In fact, the greatest risk factor for the development of breast cancer is simply getting older.
Like breast cancer, colon cancer risk increases with age and is not related to menopausal status.
Cervical cancer is highly linked to certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) and risk does not typically increase with a change in hormone status.
With respect to uterine and endometrial cancers, any unexpected uterine bleeding, especially in a postmenopausal woman, needs to be evaluated promptly and thoroughly. It is never normal to have spotting or a period in the postmenopausal years.
By no means is this a complete list of all cancers to be aware of. Melanoma, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancers, leukemias, lymphomas, and so many others can increase with age and/or occur irrespective of age and menopausal status.
Because menopause most often starts in mid-life, it’s the perfect opportunity to make sure that cancer screening protocols are followed.
It is important to have access to a good primary care physician or medical group. Not everyone knows their medical history, but a family cancer history can help you and your doctor decide issues around appropriate screening and testing and whether you should consider genetic testing. This kind of testing can be of great help in deciphering your own risk of developing certain cancers.
To read more about this topic, check out Dr. Baumgaertel’s newly released book, The Menopause Menu. Join us for a book launch & signing party Thur, Sept 21st from 4:30-6:30pm at Cancer Lifeline.