Study: Menopausal Breast Cancer Patients More Apt to Use Alternative Therapies

Breast cancer patients who are experiencing symptoms of menopause are more likely to use alternative therapies for relief of menopausal symptoms than otherwise healthy women, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin.

Women with breast cancer often experience early menopause due to their treatment, yet doctors are often reluctant to prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT) because of the potential increase in risk of recurrence.

Researchers developed a study to assess the use of HRT and alternative treatments in breast cancer patients who are experiencing menopausal symptoms. Participants with breast cancer were matched in age with healthy controls.

Study participants were contacted by telephone and were asked questions about their menopausal symptoms, estrogen and alternative therapies (vitamins, herbal supplements, soy products, acupuncture, chiropractic) used to alleviate their symptoms.

Breast cancer patients were 5.3 times more likely to experience menopausal symptoms, 25 times less likely to use estrogen, and 7.4 times more likely to use alternatives than the control group, according to the study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.

Soy, vitamin E, and herbal remedies were the most common alternative therapies and the breast cancer patients used these therapies more than the control group.

In the breast cancer group, tamoxifen users reported a higher prevalence of symptoms and a higher prevalence in the use of alternative treatments.

Most breast cancer patients who used soy products reported increasing their use of soy products specifically to reduce the chances of breast cancer recurring, a finding that had not been previously realized.

Other sources: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management