Cancer treatment caused menopause, says East Yorkshire woman

Jo Menneer, a 55-year-old from East Yorkshire, has spoken about the unexpected difficulties of managing menopause following her breast cancer diagnosis in 2022. While she was aware that her treatment would be demanding, she stated that the impact on her menopausal symptoms was not something she had anticipated.

Before her diagnosis, Ms Menneer had been using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to manage the menopause. However, her treatment plan required surgery, which forced her to stop taking HRT, and she remains unable to resume it.

Describing her experience, she said: "For me personally, my menopause symptoms came back with a vengeance almost immediately." She added: "As well as recovering from surgery, which is quite gruelling, to then be mixed with hot flushes, aching limbs, brain fog, up and down emotions - I felt like I'd gone back about 10 years."

According to the NHS, the menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can be triggered prematurely by medical interventions. Treatments such as chemotherapy, pelvic radiotherapy, stem cell transplantation, and surgery can induce the condition on a temporary or permanent basis.

Ms Menneer noted that the link between cancer treatment and menopause was never discussed with her, leaving her feeling shocked. She is now calling for increased awareness and support for patients, arguing that such information should be provided from the start of the treatment journey.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) stated that its National Cancer Plan aims to ensure patients receive a personalised plan. This is intended to ensure that long-term effects, such as menopause, are recognised and integrated into ongoing care.

Ms Menneer volunteers for the non-profit organisation Menopause and Cancer and helps run a support group in York. She described the community as "life-changing and life-affirming in the same breath" and emphasised the need for tailored support.

"Everyone's experience with menopause is different," she explained. "Having a toolkit signposting services that could be relevant for you and then you are empowered to pick the ones that suit you, that would be the perfect scenario."