Amy Comander, Breast Oncologist and Director of Lifestyle Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, shared on LinkedIn:
“I was honored to join Selene Yeager as a guest on the ‘Hit Play Not Pause‘ podcast. This podcast has been a favorite of mine during many training runs! In this episode, we focused on an important topic: breast cancer in active perimenopausal and post-menopausal women, including treatment, recovery, and symptom management.
Our conversation covered:
- Breast cancer diagnoses in physically active women,
- Breast cancer subtypes, and how treatment is individualized,
- The evidence supporting exercise during and after treatment,
- Managing treatment-induced menopause, which can be abrupt and significant,
- Evidence-based non-hormonal options for vasomotor symptoms, sleep disruption, and other concerns,
- Why discussions about menopause hormonal therapy (MHT) after breast cancer are complex and nuanced,
- The potential role of Duavee and low-dose vaginal estrogen, and the importance of individualized, shared decision-making,
- A balanced review of MHT risks/benefits for women without a history of breast cancer.
At the conclusion of the episode, Selene asked if I had any final thoughts. I emphasized a point that is often lost in the social media conversation: oncologists care deeply about our patients’ quality of life.
Symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and changes in physical function matter, and they deserve attention. I encourage patients to raise these concerns with their care teams, and I encourage clinicians to ask about them.
Thank you to Selene and the Hit Play Not Pause team for creating space for these evidence-based conversations.”
You can also read: Muna Al-Khaifi: Advancing Menopause Care for People Living With and Beyond Cancer.
