Missing Out on a Choice: How Older Women Are Less Likely to Receive Menopause-Reducing Drug During Chemotherapy
Missing Out on a Choice: How Older Women Are Less Likely to Receive Menopause-Reducing Drug During Chemotherapy
When Patsy Mullen was diagnosed with breast cancer, her oncologist mentioned the possibility of chemotherapy leading to early onset menopause. The drug Goserelin reduces this risk by up to 70%, but a new study shows many women in Mullen's position are missing out on this choice. Older women and women with children are less likely to be offered the drug due to doctors assuming fertility is the only consideration. However, early onset menopause can also carry increased risks of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and sexual dysfunction. Researchers want doctors to increase discussions and use of Goserelin in all premenopausal women, regardless of their fertility interests.