1 Studies suggest that sexuality in some women may be altered by breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

2 Inquiring about topics such as menopausal status, birth…

According to Basson (2006),  the management of sexual desire and arousal disorders in women includes psychological and pharmacologic interventions.

Inquiring about topics such as menopausal status, birth control, vaginal dryness, and dyspareunia shows the breast cancer patient that her healthcare team members consider topics influencing sexuality to be…

Many patients with breast cancer experience gynecologic problems during or after breast cancer treatment.  Some of these problems are caused by chemotherapy or hormonal therapy;  others are caused by low…

Over the past few years, knowledge of genetic susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer has increased substantially.  Testing for mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is becoming increasingly available to women…

Enlargement of the uterus or ovaries is a frequent reason for referral of breast cancer patients to the Gynecologic Oncology Center. In many cases, the enlargement is detected…

In the past 25 years,  several million women have been treated with tamoxifen. Currently, the recommended duration of adjuvant tamoxifen treatment in women with breast cancer is 5 years.

Tamoxifen is an…

Urinary incontinence is reported in 10-25% of women younger than the age of 65 years and in more than 50% of patients who are bedridden. Urinary incontinence may be exacerbated…

Except for a rare congenital form of the condition, genital prolapse occurs most commonly after multiple vaginal births, and it is more common in women of higher parity.  We have also seen genital…

In patients with breast cancer, sexual dysfunction is a relatively frequent complaint both during and after treatment. Anxiety about the illness, concerns about disfigurement related to mastectomy, and loss of physiologic…

In premenopausal females,  vaginal bleeding is considered abnormal when menstrual cycles last longer than 7 days or when there is excessive uterine bleeding (more than 80 cc/cycle). Vaginal bleeding is also…

Human papillomavirus (HPV)  infection,  herpes simplex,  and herpes zoster (“shingles”) are occasionally found in breast cancer patients.

Trichomonas vaginitis is the most prevalent nonviral sexually transmitted disease in women.  The disease is caused by a flagellated protozoan, Trichomonas vaginalis, and primarily affects women during the reproductive years.…

Among patients receiving standard or high-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer, vulvovaginitis is a frequent reason for referral to the Gynecologic Oncology Center. Vulvovaginitis can occur during or after chemotherapy and is thought to…

If estrogen stimulates the growth of malignant breast cells,  one might be concerned that subclinical disease may be fueled by HRT and grow rapidly, resulting in a…

The principle that women who have been treated for breast cancer should avoid exogenous estrogen has been an area of general agreement and standard practice for many years; it…

HRT gained wide acceptance over 30 years ago and gradually became a staple in the treatment of estrogen deficiency.  Patients were pleased by the relief of menopausal symptoms offered by HRT, and…

Because of treatment with chemotherapy, women with a history of breast cancer are more likely to be exposed to estrogen deficiency and often experience estrogen deficiency for a longer duration than women…

Each year, over 180,000 females in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer. Of women living to the age of 90, one in nine will be treated for breast…

The screening that was discussed in the previous section is actually considered a form of prevention. By definition, secondary prevention refers to any modality that leads to the earlier detection of a breast cancer,…

The ultimate goal of widespread screening for breast cancer is a reduction in mortality from the disease. Toward this end, appropriate screening for breast cancer involves both the physician and the patient. In general,…

Gynecomastia is a common condition and represents a benign proliferation of glandular tissue of the male breast. Gynecomastia occurs in three different age groups - neonatal, pubertal and elderly. Due to transplacental passage of estrogen, transient…