09/29/2025
Up to one in five women experience vaginal dryness, irritation, or pain after breast cancer treatment—yet many are left without safe, effective solutions.
This is the reality of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM, in breast cancer survivors. Unlike naturally menopausal women, their symptoms are often more severe, fueled by treatments such as chemotherapy, ovarian suppression, or endocrine therapy.
A new study published in JAMA Network Open highlights the burden and unmet needs of these women. Researchers found that GSM not only disrupts sexual health, but also daily comfort, urinary function, and emotional well-being. Despite this, many patients report that their symptoms are rarely addressed in oncology care.
The study underscores three key points:
GSM in breast cancer survivors is highly prevalent and distressing.
Hormone-based treatments, though effective in the general population, are often avoided due to cancer recurrence concerns.
Nonhormonal therapies, counseling, and multidisciplinary care are underutilized, leaving a major treatment gap.
Experts stress the importance of open conversations between oncology teams, gynecologists, and patients. Simple screening questions about vaginal or urinary symptoms can uncover hidden suffering. Offering evidence-based nonhormonal options—and, when appropriate, carefully weighing hormonal therapies—can make a profound difference.
For survivors, this research carries a clear message: these symptoms are not something to silently endure. And for clinicians, it’s a reminder that caring for breast cancer survivors means addressing not just survival, but quality of life—including sexual and genitourinary health.
Source Article:
The complexity of genitourinary syndrome of menopause: number, severity, and frequency of vulvovaginal discomfort symptoms in women enrolled in a randomized trial evaluating treatment for genitourinary syndrome of menopause
Date:
August 2023.
Source:
The Journal of The Menopause Society
