Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Reproductive endocrinology

Triptorelin ovarian suppression during breast cancer chemotherapy

A novel study by Del Mastro and colleagues suggests that the occurrence of early menopause as a consequence of chemotherapy can be reduced by triptorelin-induced temporary ovarian suppression during chemotherapy in premenopausal patients with early-stage breast cancer. But does this treatment preserve fertility, and will the benefits of continued menstrual function outweigh the risks?

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Del Mastro, L. et al. Effect of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue triptorelin on the occurrence of chemotherapy-induced early menopause in premenopausal women with breast cancer: a randomized trial. JAMA 306, 269–276 (2011).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Badawy, A. et al. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists for prevention of chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage: prospective randomized study. Fertil. Steril. 91, 694–697 (2009).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Leonard, R. C. et al. The OPTION trial of adjuvant ovarian protection by goserelin in adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer [abstract]. Proc. Am. Soc. Clin. Onc. 28 (Suppl.), a590 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Gerber, B. et al. Effect of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist on ovarian function after modern adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy: the GBG 37 ZORO study. J. Clin. Oncol. 29, 2334–2341 (2011).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ismail-Khan, R. et al. Preservation of ovarian function in young women treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer: a randomized trial using the GnRH agonist (triptorelin) during chemotherapy [abstract]. J. Clin. Oncol. 26 (Suppl.), a524 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Broer, S. L. et al. Anti-Müllerian hormone predicts menopause: a long-term follow-up study in normoovulatory women. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 96, 2532–2539 (2011).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Anderson, R. A. & Cameron, D. A. Pretreatment serum anti-Müllerian hormone predicts long-term ovarian function and bone mass after chemotherapy for early breast cancer. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 96, 1336–1343 (2011).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Partridge, A. H. et al. Ovarian reserve in women who remain premenopausal after chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer. Fertil. Steril. 94, 638–644 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Partridge, A. H. et al. Web-based survey of fertility issues in young women with breast cancer. J. Clin. Oncol. 22, 4174–4183 (2004).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Swain, S. M. et al. Longer therapy, iatrogenic amenorrhea, and survival in early breast cancer. N. Engl. J. Med. 362, 2053–2065 (2010).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elizabeth S. Ginsburg.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ginsburg, E., Partridge, A. Triptorelin ovarian suppression during breast cancer chemotherapy. Nat Rev Endocrinol 7, 637–638 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2011.159

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2011.159

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing: Cancer

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Cancer newsletter — what matters in cancer research, free to your inbox weekly.

Get what matters in cancer research, free to your inbox weekly. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Cancer