Link Between Early Menopause & Breast/Ovarian Cancer
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the average age for natural menopause is 51. Menopause before you turn 40 is considered early menopause. Having early menopause is not considered a cause of breast or cervical cancer. However, early menopause can affect your chances for developing breast or cervical cancer.
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Features
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Menopause occurs when your ovaries begin to produce less estrogen. This causes your menstrual cycle to stop. Early menopause can be caused by genetics, autoimmune disorders or medical procedures. Common symptoms of menopause are hot flashes, mood swings and insomnia
Decreased Hormones
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Early menopause causes your hormone levels to decrease sooner than normal. Since estrogen can encourage the growth of some types of breast cancer; this decrease of estrogen can help lower your risk of developing breast cancer.
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Less Ovulation
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According to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, studies have shown that decreasing the number of times you ovulate can decrease your risk for cervical cancer. Early menopause causes your ovaries to stop ovulating thereby lowering your risk of cervical cancer.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
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Symptoms of early menopause can often be helped with hormone replacement therapy. The National Cancer Institute states that long term exposure to estrogen or progesterone through hormone replacement therapy can increase your risk of developing cervical cancer. Talk to your doctor about the risk of hormone replacement therapy before starting a replacement regimen.
Considerations
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If you are experiencing early menopause, talk with your doctor about your risk for breast or cervical cancer. If you risk is high get screened for both conditions on a regular basis. Early detection of breast or cervical cancer can improve your chances of survival.
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References
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