# Menopausal Symptoms and Utian Quality of Life Scale Following a Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Its Impact on Endocrine Adherence

## TL;DR

This study shows that menopausal symptoms after breast cancer treatment significantly affect quality of life and adherence to endocrine therapy.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into how menopausal symptoms impact endocrine treatment adherence and quality of life in breast cancer survivors.

## Key findings

- Menopausal symptoms significantly reduce quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
- Six percent of patients failed to adhere to endocrine treatment due to side effects.
- Premenopausal and postmenopausal groups reported high rates of hot flushes, fatigue, and joint pain.

## Abstract

Introduction

Standard treatment for oestrogen-positive breast cancers involves a minimum of five years of adjuvant endocrine treatment with a significant improvement in survival. However, the side effects of endocrine treatments are often underestimated. We aimed to identify the frequency of side effects, adherence to treatment, and impact on the quality of life of breast cancer survivors.

Methods

All patients attending holistic needs assessment and health and wellbeing events with a clinical nurse specialist between March and October 2023 were given a menopause symptom proforma and Utian menopausal quality of life scale questionnaire.

Results

A total of 99/150 (66%) patients attending a health needs assessment with a clinical nurse specialist following a diagnosis of breast cancer returned forms.

The mean age of respondents was 56.7 years, with a mean 2.5-year duration since diagnosis. Thirty-seven percent of respondents were premenopausal at diagnosis, and 63% were postmenopausal. Five percent stopped treatment early due to menopausal symptoms, and 2.2% changed endocrine treatment. Overall, the mean menopausal quality of life score was -0.454 (p=0.0052). Within the premenopausal cohort, 84% reported hot flushes, 81% a low-sex drive, 73% night sweats, 89% memory problems, 89% fatigue, and 76% joint aches. This group scored -0.20 SD on the quality of life scale. The postmenopausal group reported a 71% incidence of hot flushes, 79% both poor sleep and joint pain, 60% breast pain, and 86% fatigue. They demonstrated a mean of -0.58 SD on the quality of life scale. The failure to adhere to endocrine treatment was reported by 6% of respondents, who cited side effects as the reason for non-compliance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is a significant increase in menopausal symptoms following treatment for breast cancer, which is negatively impacting well-being, quality of life, and endocrine adherence.