Phase II Study of Goserelin for Ovarian Protection in Premenopausal Patients Receiving Cyclophosphamide Containing Chemotherapy: Menstruation Outcome

The use of adjuvant chemotherapy in younger women with early breast cancer (EBC) has substantially improved the long-term outcome. However, this benefit is associated with long-term toxic effects which are becoming more important as prognosis improves. These include premature menopause and infertility in young pre-menopausal women. The incidence of premature menopause depends on the type and intensity of chemotherapy and the patient's age. In women <35 years old, the long-term (3 years after diagnosis) incidence of amenorrhea is similar to women who have not received chemotherapy, at ∼ 10%, but this increases to 50% in women between 35 and 40 years old, and can be up to 85% in women >40 years. Premature ovarian failure has major consequences including sexual dysfunction and infertility, and the latter may be of great concern to younger patients with breast cancer and has a bearing in influencing treatment decisions in almost 30% of cases.

Currently, there is no standard treatment for preventing chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure. Previous studies have suggested that temporary ovarian suppression with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue may preserve ovarian function both in humans and animal models. Clinical data are conflicting. For example, a recent Italian multi-center phase III study Prevention of Menopause-Induced by Chemotherapy: A Study in Early Breast Cancer Patients-Gruppo Italiano Mamella 6 (PROMISE-GIM6) reported that the use of GnRH analogue, triptorelin during chemotherapy in pre-menopausal patients with EBC, reduced the occurrence of chemotherapy-induced early menopause with four pregnancies after a 26-month follow-up [one in the chemotherapy alone arm and three in the triptorelin with chemotherapy arm]. In contrast, another trial suggested that the use of goserelin concurrently with neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not significantly reduce incidence of amenorrhea 6 months after the end of chemotherapy compared with those receiving chemotherapy alone and only two pregnancies were recorded [one in each arm] with a follow-up of 2 years.