Menopausal hormone therapy and comprehensive postmenopausal care in gynecologic cancer survivors: A position paper from the <scp>FIGO</scp> Committee on Women at Menopausal Age

Recent advances in cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment have greatly improved survival rates among women with gynecologic cancers. More survivors now live long enough to experience treatment-related menopause. Vasomotor symptoms, genitourinary syndrome of menopause, sexual dysfunction, sleep issues, and long-term risks from estrogen deficiency can seriously impact quality of life. Despite increased survival, managing menopausal symptoms remains difficult, as concerns about cancer recurrence and hormone therapy safety often result in inconsistent or insufficient treatment. This article explores clinical considerations for menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in women with a history of gynecologic cancer. It reviews evidence on the safety of MHT after vulvar, vaginal, cervical, uterine, and ovarian cancers, providing an overview of tumor histology, stage, and hormonal sensitivity. It also synthesizes observational studies, systematic reviews, and international guidelines to help clinicians deliver menopausal care to cancer survivors. Current evidence suggests that systemic MHT may be suitable for carefully chosen survivors of non-hormone-dependent gynecologic cancers, including most vulvar, vaginal, cervical, and epithelial ovarian cancers. Patients with hormonally sensitive tumors should generally avoid systemic MHT, while local vaginal hormonal administration and non-hormonal options remain important in these cases. Given the disproportionate burden of gynecologic cancers in low- and middle-income countries, where younger women face increased risks of treatment-induced menopause and limited survivorship resources, this paper emphasizes context-specific, resource-aware strategies to promote equitable care. By enhancing personalized and evidence-based decision-making, we aim to improve quality of life for women during menopause after cancer treatment, while ensuring safe, fair, and widely applicable survivorship approaches.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
Published
2026-07-22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.71188
Primary Topic
Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Menopausal hormone therapy and comprehensive postmenopausal care in gynecologic cancer survivors: A position paper from the FIGO Committee on Women at Menopausal Age

Hema Divakar, Suvarna Khadilkar, Agnaldo Lopes da Silva Filho, Chiara Benedetto et al.
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
article

Menopausal hormone therapy and comprehensive postmenopausal care in gynecologic cancer survivors: A position paper from the FIGO Committee on Women at Menopausal Age

Hema Divakar, Suvarna Khadilkar, Agnaldo Lopes da Silva Filho, Chiara Benedetto, Enrique Herrera, Elizabete Argale, Martha Hickey, Diana Ramos, Andrea R. Genazzani
article en

Abstract

Recent advances in cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment have greatly improved survival rates among women with gynecologic cancers. More survivors now live long enough to experience treatment-related menopause. Vasomotor symptoms, genitourinary syndrome of menopause, sexual dysfunction, sleep issues, and long-term risks from estrogen deficiency can seriously impact quality of life. Despite increased survival, managing menopausal symptoms remains difficult, as concerns about cancer recurrence and hormone therapy safety often result in inconsistent or insufficient treatment. This article explores clinical considerations for menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in women with a history of gynecologic cancer. It reviews evidence on the safety of MHT after vulvar, vaginal, cervical, uterine, and ovarian cancers, providing an overview of tumor histology, stage, and hormonal sensitivity. It also synthesizes observational studies, systematic reviews, and international guidelines to help clinicians deliver menopausal care to cancer survivors. Current evidence suggests that systemic MHT may be suitable for carefully chosen survivors of non-hormone-dependent gynecologic cancers, including most vulvar, vaginal, cervical, and epithelial ovarian cancers. Patients with hormonally sensitive tumors should generally avoid systemic MHT, while local vaginal hormonal administration and non-hormonal options remain important in these cases. Given the disproportionate burden of gynecologic cancers in low- and middle-income countries, where younger women face increased risks of treatment-induced menopause and limited survivorship resources, this paper emphasizes context-specific, resource-aware strategies to promote equitable care. By enhancing personalized and evidence-based decision-making, we aim to improve quality of life for women during menopause after cancer treatment, while ensuring safe, fair, and widely applicable survivorship approaches.

International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
University of Pisa (IT), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (BR), University of Southern California (US), The University of Melbourne (AU), Mercy General Hospital (US), Ospedale Sant'Anna (IT), Riga Stradiņš University (LV), International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (GB), Bombay Hospital (IN), NRR Hospital (IN), American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (US), Universidad del Valle (CO)
Openalex Percentile: Top 8%
Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.