Continuing education: Comprehensive menopausal assessment: an approach to managing vasomotor and urogenital symptoms in breast cancer survivors.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the development and implementation of a comprehensive menopausal assessment (CMA) and intervention program for women with a history of breast cancer.


METHODS
Published articles selected from computerized databases, conference proceedings, bibliographies of pertinent articles and books, and lay publications.


RESULTS
The CMA program consisted of a structured, comprehensive assessment of three symptoms (hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and stress urinary incontinence) and an individualized plan of education, counseling, nonestrogen treatments, psychosocial support, referrals, and follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
A structured approach to evaluating and managing vasomotor and urogenital symptoms with, for example, the CMA, may help breast cancer survivors with severe symptoms more effectively manage these symptoms than "usual care."


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses providing care for women with a history of breast cancer can incorporate the key elements of the CMA program into their practice to facilitate more effective management of three common menopausal symptoms that often are undertreated in this patient population.
Zibecchi
Laura
L
Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. lzibec@ucla.edu
Greendale
Gail A
GA
Ganz
Patricia A
PA
D000287:Administration, Topical; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000451:nursing*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000451:nursing; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D017698:Postmenopause; D017741:Survivors; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing
D004967:Estrogens