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The following is a summary of “Pilot study of the effect of surgical menopause on bone mineral density and quality in patients with gynecological malignancies,” published in the November 2024 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology by Matsuno et al.      

Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), commonly performed in gynecologic cancer treatment, induces surgical menopause, which affects bone mineral density (BMD) and bone quality, especially in patients with premenopausal.  

Researchers conducted a prospective study to investigate the impact of surgical menopause on BMD and bone quality in patients with gynecologic cancers.  

They studied 50 patients with gynecologic cancer who underwent surgical menopause, measuring BMD, blood levels of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP-5b) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and urinary pentosidine levels at preoperative and postoperative intervals up to 24 months.  

The results showed a significant, progressive decrease in lumbar spine and total hip BMD beginning at 6 months postoperatively in the 22 patients without hormone replacement therapy (HRT; HRT− group). The HRT− group had increased TRACP-5b and urinary pentosidine levels compared to preoperative values at 6 months. Comparisons with 10 patients who received HRT (HRT+ group) indicated significantly lower lumbar spine BMD change percentages, TRACP-5b, and urinary pentosidine levels at 12 months.  

They concluded that surgical menopause adversely affects bone metabolism, with HRT potentially mitigating the effects.  

Source: obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jog.16141