Estrogen is produced primarily by the ovaries. With the onset of menopause, estrogen production drops off considerably. While most women don't begin menopause until they're about 50 years of age, chemotherapy and radiation, both used to treat breast cancer, can also trigger premature menopause in younger women. Premature menopause carries with it all the side effects and health risks of natural menopause and, unfortunately, things don't revert back to normal once treatment is finished. For all intents and purposes, then, these women are menopausal.
Premature menopause carries with it all the side effects and health risks of natural menopause.
But human studies have been less conclusive as to whether hormone replacement therapy increases risk. We've had good studies that have had conflicting results. At the recent breast cancer symposium, two studies were presented that seem to show HRT is safe for some breast cancer survivors. Both studies were small, however, involving fewer than 500 women combined. And they've shown results only of short-term hormone use.