About this episode

This episode discusses the complexities of menopause after breast cancer, focusing on the PIONEER trial and its implications for hormone therapy.

In this episode of The Menopause and Cancer Podcast , I’m joined by Dr Susanna Unsworth, GP and menopause specialist at the Cambridge breast unit, to talk about why menopause after cancer can sometimes feel like such a complex and at times controversial area of medicine. We explore why medical opinions can differ, why this space is not always black and white, and what happens when new research starts to challenge long-held assumptions. A big focus of this conversation is the PIONEER trial, a Cambridge-led study looking at whether megestrol acetate — a drug that acts on the progesterone receptor — could be used alongside standard anti-oestrogen treatment in oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and how it may also help with hot flushes! It’s a bit mind-blowing when you think that all we hear all the time is NO to any HORMONES after breast cancer! So we talk about why that finding has caught so much attention. We also talk about the very real emotional burden of endocrine therapy, the impact on quality of life, and why so many patients feel stuck between wanting to reduce recurrence risk and wanting to feel more like themselves again. Susanna also shares how the Cambridge…

People in this episode

Host: Dani Binnington

Guest: Dr Susanna Unsworth

Topics covered

• menopause
• breast cancer
• hormone therapy
• quality of life
• endocrine therapy
• medical research

Keywords

• menopause
• breast cancer
• hormones
• PIONEER trial
• megestrol acetate
• quality of life
• endocrine therapy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cambridge breast unit

Products: megestrol acetate

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• Episode 210 - Can Acupuncture Help Menopause Symptoms After Cancer? Looking at the Research · March 24, 2026 · 40 min
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