Postmenopausal bone mineral loss after treatment for malignant gynaecologic tumours

Bone mineral content after treatment for malignant gynaecologic tumours was examined in women of fertile age. The treatment given was intracavitary radium applications followed by bilateral oophorectomy. In women who received oestrogen substitution the bone mineral content increased by one per cent a year, whereas nonsubstituted women lost 3 per cent of their initial bone mineral content per year. The findings suggest that oestrogen deficiency is the predominant cause of bone mineral loss initiated by this therapy.