Amenorrhea in premenopausal women after adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer

J Clin Oncol. 2006 Dec 20;24(36):5769-79. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2006.07.2793. Epub 2006 Nov 27.

Abstract

Chemotherapy and ovarian ablation both independently improve survival in premenopausal women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer. Amenorrhea is a well-recognized occurrence after chemotherapy. The rate of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea varies with patient age and chemotherapy regimens administered. However, the impact of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea on prognosis is still being defined. Older studies in premenopausal women argue that the benefit with chemotherapy is a result of direct cytotoxicity alone. However, studies that restrict outcome analysis to hormone receptor-positive tumors suggest that chemotherapy has a dual mechanism in women with hormone-responsive tumors; indirect endocrine manipulation secondary to chemotherapy-induced ovarian suppression and direct cytotoxicity. The significant health ramifications involved with the induction of premature menopause as well as potential benefits necessitate a comprehensive evaluation of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea. This review will discuss the incidence of amenorrhea with commonly-used adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens, the possible benefits of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea, and the challenges of interpreting the existing data in breast cancer trials.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amenorrhea / chemically induced*
  • Amenorrhea / epidemiology
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Prognosis
  • Tamoxifen / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Tamoxifen