A Retrospective Study on the Onset of Menopause after Chemotherapy: Analysis of Data Extracted from the Jean Perrin Comprehensive Cancer Center Database Concerning 345 Young Breast Cancer Patients Diagnosed between 1994 and 2012.
OBJECTIVE
Young breast cancer (BC) patients receiving chemotherapy are at risk of chemotherapy-induced menopause (CIM). We sought to define the incidence rate of premature menopause after chemotherapy and to retrospectively investigate factors related to the onset of menopause.


METHODS
We identified BC patients who had received chemotherapy at the Cancer Center (Centre Jean-Perrin). We selected premenopausal women aged between 18 and 50 years at the moment of diagnosis who received chemotherapy between 1994 and 2012.


RESULTS
Of the 345 selected patients, the median age was 42 years (interquartile range: 38-46). CIM was defined as amenorrhea for at least 2 years following the end of chemotherapy. A total of 260 premenopausal women versus 85 menopausal women were included. Among the 85 menopausal women, only 46 were in the CIM group (13.3%). This rate increased in the group of women aged >43 years at diagnosis and with early hot flushes.


CONCLUSIONS
CIM occurred in 13.3% of BC patients after chemotherapy. Age >43 years and early hot flushes were significantly associated with the risk of CIM. We suggest that the definition of CIM should be standardized in the literature: "amenorrhea of at least 2 years" seems a good cutoff, although 2 patients recovered their menstrual cycles beyond this limit.
ERTICA EA 4677, Université d'Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Joyce
J
Dohou
Marie-Ange
MA
Mouret-Reynier
Fabrice
F
Kwiatkowski
Marie
M
Arbre
Pauline
P
Herviou
Mélanie
M
Pouget
Catherine
C
Abrial
Frédérique
F
Penault-Llorca
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000139:chemically induced*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
Breast cancer; Chemotherapy; Premature ovarian insufficiency; Premenopausal women