Rapid Fire Oral Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

The burden of menopausal vasomotor symptoms: results from a national survey of 2,000 Australian cancer survivors (146507)

Michelle Peate 1 2 , Sherine Sandhu 1 2 , Nipuni Susanto 1 2 , Michael Jefford 3 4 , Digsu Koye 5 , Paul Cohen 6 , Jennifer Marino 7 , Christobel Saunders 1 8 , Carolyn Ee 9 , Sarah Lensen 2 3 , Dorcas Serwaa 2 3 , Katherine Rolshoven 3 , Martha Hickey 2 3
  1. University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  2. Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, , University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC
  4. Centre for Health Services Research in Cancer, Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre, , Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  5. Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, and MISCH (Methods and Implementation Support for Clinical and Health) Research Hub, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  6. The Western Australian Gynaecological Cancer Service, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
  7. Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of Sydney , Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  8. Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  9. Flinders LiveWell Cancer Research Centre, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia

Background: Cancer treatments can induce premature or early menopause and exacerbate existing symptoms, impairing quality of life (QOL) and daily functioning. Vasomotor symptoms, including hot flushes (HF) and night sweats (NS) are common following cancer treatment. While menopause after breast and gynaecological cancers is well characterised, little is known about how the prevalence and burden compare across cancer types.

Aims: Describe the prevalence, severity and impact of vasomotor symptoms across seven cancer types.

Methods: Adult women who completed primary treatment or were receiving long-term endocrine/targeted therapy for cancer completed a cross-sectional online survey. Participants were recruited nationally through consumer organisations and cancer treatment centres. Outcomes included HF and NS prevalence and severity, Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Scale (HFRDIS), and Menopause-Specific QOL Questionnaire (MENQOL). Descriptive analyses were undertaken.

Results: In total 2,000 women (mean age:61yrs, SD:11; median time since diagnosis:7yrs (IQR:5-12.3) participated: breast (n=1214), gynaecological (n=280), blood (n=244), colorectal/bladder (n=89), lung (n=29), neuroendocrine (n=29) and other (n=115). Overall, 1061 (53%) reported having HF and 844 (42%) NS. HF prevalence ranged from 32% (n=78) in blood cancers to 61% (n=743) in breast cancer. Neuroendocrine (n=16,55%), lung (n=14,48%) and gynaecological (n=129,46%) cancers also experienced HF. NS were reported by 30-48% across cancer types. Among women reporting HF (n=1061) and NS (n=844), 50-73% and 33-66% experienced moderate-to-severe symptoms, respectively. Median HFRDIS score was 2.0 (IQR:0.4–5.0), with 43% (range:32–55%) experiencing moderate-to-severe interference with daily life, indicating substantial impact for a sizeable proportion of symptomatic women. Vasomotor MENQOL scores were similar across cancer types (median:2.3, IQR:1.0–4.7), suggesting comparable vasomotor-related quality-of-life burden.

Conclusions: Menopausal vasomotor symptoms are common, often moderate-to-severe, and substantially interfere with daily life across several cancer types. While estimates for less common cancers should be interpreted cautiously (smaller sample sizes), these findings support routine assessment and evidence-based management of menopausal symptoms in survivors.