Hormone Therapy Use Among Young Patients with Cervical Cancer in Southern Saskatchewan

Treatment for cervical cancer can cause cessation of ovarian function in young patients. Physician counselling practices related to premature menopause and hormonal therapy (HT) for young cervical cancer patients is not well known. The primary objective of this study was to assess the frequency of HT counselling and usage among young cervical cancer patients. The secondary objective was to assess clinical and demographic factors associated with HT use.

This retrospective review included adult women younger than age 50 years who received treatment for cervical cancer between 2007 and 2017. Patient and disease characteristics, disease outcome, and documentation of HT and bone health counselling were collected from electronic records. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed for the primary objective, and independent t tests and χ² tests were used for secondary objective data analysis.

In this study, 67 premenopausal women with cervical cancer (stages I-III) lost ovarian function from cancer treatment, of whom 52% had received counselling on HT from their oncologists. Thirty-nine percent of patients were using HT at the time of their last review. Younger women were more likely than older women to receive HT counselling (mean age 37.3 ± 6.6 y vs. 42.4 ± 6.0 y; P = 0.001). Counselling frequency and usage of HT were not affected by cancer stage, body mass index, or smoking status.

Young asymptomatic patients should receive HT if not contraindicated, yet half of qualified cervical cancer patients in this study received counselling on premature menopause and HT. Structured counselling on HT should be implemented as an integral part of cervical cancer care.