Research published by cancer charity Maggie’s shows less than half of the public know cancer treatment can cause early onset menopause, with only 40% correctly identifying it as a side effect, while eight in ten (80%) people could identify hair loss as a possible side effect.

The research, carried out by Survation*, also found seven in ten (71%) of women polled who had received a cancer diagnosis were not aware they may experience an early onset menopause.

Over half (51%) of all those asked thought menopause symptoms could be as challenging as cancer treatment.

Ahead of World Menopause Day (18th October), Maggie’s is launching a film to urge everyone to keep the conversation going about ‘crash menopause’ - the sudden onset of menopause symptoms due to cancer treatment – with contributions from Amy Dowden MBE, Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts, Amanda Pritchard CEO of NHS England, Health Minister Baroness Merron, journalist and counselling psychologist Dr Sian Williams, Tulip Siddiq MP, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Carolyn Harris MP, Caroline Nokes MP, and Jackie Baillie MSP. You can watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBy6hNhiEmY

Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Amy Dowden was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023 and is helping Maggie’s raise awareness, saying: “I am supporting Maggie’s to keep the conversation going on ‘crash menopause’. It was a shock when I found out not only did I have to go through cancer treatment, but a treatment induced early menopause as well. Maggie’s is there to support people through this and if you need help, please do visit one of their centres.”

Dame Laura Lee, Chief Executive of Maggie’s said: “Raising awareness about this matters. If we keep the conversation going more women, and their friends and families, can identify the signs and symptoms and get the help they need – whether that is psychological support or help to understand what it might mean for their fertility, or to protect their longer-term health.”

Lisa Punt, Centre Head at Maggie’s Cambridge, and lead clinician on Maggie’s menopause workshops across the UK said: “The incredible clinical advances in cancer treatment mean more people live beyond and alongside a cancer diagnosis. The impact on quality of life and emotional well-being following a treatment induced menopause can be long lasting and for some traumatic. At Maggie’s our focus is to help people feel less alone and give them the advice and information needed to support them through the changes they can face.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

Background

Any chemotherapy for any cancer can cause early-onset ‘crash menopause’.

For some people it may be transient, where they experience treatment-induced menopause and then following treatment their ovaries will start to work again.

Treatment-induced menopause can happen to anyone with cancer at any age, even if that person has already been through a natural menopause.

We use the term ‘crash menopause’ because treatment-induced menopause can be more immediate than a natural one, as people experience symptoms suddenly and often all at once, compared to the relatively gradual impact of natural menopause.

Maggie’s expert staff are there for anyone who needs support with the impact of ‘crash menopause’. Our menopause workshops are designed by experts from The British Menopause Society and offer support and advice on managing symptoms.

To help people impacted by treatment-induced menopause Maggie's runs menopause workshops. These have been developed by Dr Angela Sharma and Dr Angela Wright of Spiced Pear Health alongside Maggie's Cambridge Centre Head, Lisa Punt, who has a special interest in treatment-induced menopause.

*Survation interviewed 2007 adults aged 18+ in the UK for Maggie's. 93 of those polled were women who had cancer at some point. Fieldwork was conducted between 27th September and the 2nd October 2024. Data were weighted to the profile of all adults in the UK aged 18+. Data were weighted by age, sex, region, highest level of qualification, annual equivalised household income, 2024 general election vote, and 2016 EU referendum vote.

The number of women polled who had cancer is 93.

For more information please contact the media team on media@maggies.org

For further information about Maggie’s visit www.maggies.org

Case studies available from Maggie’s to support this research:

Francesca (32) from Newcastle was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer two years ago when she was just 30. She said: “Having breast cancer as a young person is tough but I’ve found some of the cancer treatment symptoms of menopause even tougher. Fatigue is a big problem and I feel knackered all the time.”

Kat Denisi, 34, from Edinburgh was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. She said: “I was put into menopause at the start of my diagnosis in 2022. Hot flushes, dryness, no libido, and night sweats. I completely understand that I had to be put in menopause because of my cancer treatment but I wish I had met someone or there was a booklet to discuss the side effects of that.”

Lizzy Hutchison, 40, from Edinburgh was diagnosed with breast cancer just after her 37thbirthday. Lizzy said: “What was explained to me was that they’d just switch my ovaries off. No one ever used the word menopause or talked about it, so it's all been a bit of a shock, and a learning curve. I didn't really understand the impact.”

Hannah Walsh, 41, from Pontypridd was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2021. “Having children was part of the plan before I had cancer, but now I’m just taking things one day at a time. If I’m going to persist with longer term treatment, I really need to stay on the drugs Tamoxifen and Zolidex for another two years. I know that I may or may not be able to have children naturally once I come off this treatment, and that there is help out there for me with this, should I need it, but that is not something I can even consider right now. I’m just trying to get through every day as best I can and trying to get on with my life, hopeful I’ll never have to go through it again.”

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