Medicine use among women affected by gynecological cancer
A Norwegian study that was recently published in BJOG (British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology) shows that women affected by gynecological cancer, especially women with cervical and ovarian cancer, used more medication for pain relief and sex hormones than women without cancer long after they had the diagnosis. Women with uterine cancer used more diabetes medications (antidiabetics) both before and after diagnosis.
Main content
The prognosis of cancer patients has improved continuously in recent decades, and the number of individuals living with a previous cancer diagnosis has increased significantly. In this study, we have investigated the use of medicine among women affected by gynecological cancer and compared it with the use of medicine in the general female population. Medication use was used as an indirect measure of illness.
We conducted a large national prospective study where we combined data from the Cancer Register, the Prescription Register and other data sources. The study included approx. 1.76 million women, including 17,500 women with gynecological cancer.
The results showed that women affected by gynecological cancer, especially women with cervical and ovarian cancer, used more drugs for pain relief and sex hormones than women without cancer more than 10 years after diagnosis. Women with uterine cancer used more diabetes medications (antidiabetics) both before and after diagnosis. The use of antidepressants was moderately elevated among women with gynecological cancer.
Source:
Bjørge T, Hjellvik V, Bjørge L, dos-Santos-Silva I, Furu K, Kvåle R, Engeland A. Incidence and prevalence of drugs used for chronic diseases in survivors of adult-onset gynaecological cancer - A nationwide cohort study. BJOG 2023, Epub
