Breast Cancer Awareness
Menopause and breast-cancer risk
Menopause occurs when a
woman’s reproductive cycle
is over and she can no longer
produce offspring. For many women,
menopause occurs around age 50.
While menopause itself is not a
risk for breast or other cancers, it’s
important to know that some symptom
treatments and other factors can
increase the risk for cancer among
menopausal women.
The North American Menopause Society
says that a woman going through
perimenopause and menopause may
experience various symptoms, which
can range from hair loss to food cravings
to hot fl ashes to vaginal dryness.
The National Institutes of Health indicates
some women undergo combined
hormone therapy, also called hormone
replacement therapy to help relieve
menopausal symptoms such as hot
fl ashes and osteoporosis. This therapy
replaces estrogen and progestin, which
diminish in a woman’s body after menopause
sets in. However, NIH’s Women’s
Health Initiative Study has found that
women undergoing this therapy have
a higher risk of breast cancer, among
Menopause itself is not a risk for breast or other cancers, but it’s important
to know that some symptom treatments and other factors can
increase the risk for cancer among menopausal women.
other conditions.
WebMD says evidence suggests that
the longer a woman is exposed to female
hormones, whether it’s those
made by the body, taken as a drug, or
delivered by a patch, the more likely she
is to develop breast cancer. That means
that hormone replacement therapy can
increase breast cancer risk and also
indicates that the longer a woman remains
fertile the greater her risk for
certain cancers. Women who began
menstruating before age 12 or entered
menopause after age 55 will have had
many ovulations. This increases the
risk of uterine, breast, and ovarian
cancers, states the American Society
of Clinical Oncology. It also may impact
a woman’s chances of developing
endometrial cancer.
Gaining weight after menopause can
also increase a woman’s risk of breast
cancer, states the MD Anderson Cancer
Center. Therefore, maintaining a healthy
weight or even losing a little weight can
be benefi cial.
Women who enter menopause are
not necessarily at a higher risk for
breast cancer, but some factors tied
to menopause can play a role. Women
who want to lower their risk for various
cancers are urged to eat healthy diets,
quit smoking and maintain healthy
body weights.
Juggling work and breast cancer treatment
Age is a risk factor for breast cancer,
and the organization Susan
G. Komen notes that the older a
woman is, the more likely she is to get
breast cancer. However, data from the
National Cancer Institute indicates that
breast cancer rates in women begin to
increase after age 40, meaning many
women diagnosed with breast cancer
have to juggle both their disease and
their careers.
The nonprofit organization Breastcancer.
org says that breast cancer
treatments can produce some cognitive
side effects that affect thinking
and memory. Memory loss and difficulty
concentrating are two such side
effects that can make it difficult for
working women to do their jobs while
being treated for breast cancer.
Professional women diagnosed
with breast cancer may be able to
take advantage of short- and longterm
disability programs that provide
a percentage of their incomes
if they are diagnosed with an illness
that prevents them from doing their
jobs. In addition, Breastcancer.org
notes that, in the United States, the
Family and Medical Leave Act allows
employees to maintain their benefits
and keep their jobs while taking up
to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to heal
from serious health conditions.
Data from the National Cancer Institute indicates that breast cancer
rates in women begin to increase after age 40, meaning many women
diagnosed with breast cancer have to juggle both their disease and
their careers.
Despite those options, many
women may want to continue working
while receiving treatment for
breast cancer. Such women can
heed the following tips, courtesy of
Breastcancer.org, to overcome any
cognitive effects of treatment so
they can continue to perform their
jobs capably:
Start taking notes. Start taking notes
during meetings, important work-related
conversations, and even doctor’s appointments
to counter any issues with
memory. Keep such notes on a tablet or
smartphone so they can be quickly and
easily accessed throughout the day.
Write down deadlines and work
schedules. Accomplished professionals
may keep lists of deadlines and
work schedules in their heads, but
that internal list might not be so reliable
while women are being treated
for breast cancer. Make use of the
calendar function on your smartphone
or tablet to note deadlines,
even setting alerts so you receive
routine reminders when important
dates are coming up.
Make and routinely update a todo
list. Some professional women
diagnosed with breast cancer may
be juggling work, treatment, and
their families. Keeping a to-do list
and checking items off as they’re
completed can help women effectively
manage such juggling acts and
save time.
Set realistic goals. Breast cancer
treatment can produce a host of side
effects, including fatigue. So women
who plan to continue working during
treatment should be sure to set realistic
goals that take into account the effects
that treatment may have on their
energy levels. If need be, delegate
more tasks and ask for more help.
Many women continue working
while being treated for breast cancer.
A few simple adjustments can
help such women overcome many
treatment-related obstacles.
22 October 10, 2019 Schneps Media
/Breastcancer.org
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