Because there haven’t been any clinical trials with Intrarosa in breast cancer patients, doctors don’t know for certain if it’s completely safe for breast cancer patients. Unfortunately, this is true for each of the prescription medications we have to treat vulvovaginal atrophy.
What I can say, however, is that after years of use of localized treatment options in many breast cancer patients, the medical community hasn’t seen increased risks for breast cancer. For that reason, and because these medications all do their job locally rather than systemically, all of these products are considered safe for breast cancer patients. (Osphena, which has also been used in breast cancer patients, is systemic but it is not an estrogen.)
Still, this is a discussion that’s best to have with your oncologist and women’s healthcare provider. In my experience, oncologists support using these products, especially in cases like yours, where the patient has been cancer-free for 10 years.
Congratulations!
Dr. Barb DePree, M.D., has been a gynecologist and women’s health provider for almost 30 years and a menopause care specialist for the past ten.
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