In many ways, your bones are your body’s support system. Not only do they give shape and structure to the body, they are living tissues that produce blood cells, store and release minerals, and are constantly being remodeled as old bone breaks down and new bone forms to replace it.

Normal aging can result in an imbalance in this equation of continual renewal, favoring bone loss over rebuilding. When Rachel David, MD, a medical oncologist whose presentation at our April 2024 Evening Educational Webinar, titled Long Term Effects of Chemotherapy, included the ramifications of cancer treatment on bone health, attendees took note.

According to Dr. David, normal age-related bone loss can occur in both women and men. However, bone loss can gain further momentum in women during menopause, when estrogen levels drop sharply. Estrogen, Dr. David explained, has bone-protective properties. Chemotherapy and certain other cancer treatments, such as hormonal therapies, suppress the ovaries and decrease estrogen levels in both pre-and post-menopausal women. This can hasten bone loss, increasing the risk of osteopenia and even osteoporosis.

Fortunately, there are measures we can take to protect our bones during and after cancer treatment. Dr. David emphasized the importance of understanding your family history of osteopenia, osteoporosis, and bone fractures; stopping smoking; reducing alcohol consumption; engaging in weight-bearing exercise; taking calcium and vitamin D; taking actions to reduce and prevent falls; and, in consultation with your health care providers, using prescription medications when they’re needed to halt bone loss.

It’s important to keep your health care providers advised on the bone-protective measures you’re taking, and to consult with them regarding dietary supplements and medications. They can make individualized recommendations for you.

There is a host of different treatment options for breast and gynecologic cancers. Each treatment regimen is tailored to fit individual circumstances; your treatment is designed to treat YOUR cancer. Cancer therapies carry obvious benefits, and they come with certain caveats. Talking with your health care providers about the risks, including the impacts on your bone health, allows you to take preventive measures to ensure many years of healthy survivorship long after treatment has ended.

Make no bones about it; care for your bones and they will support you for the long run.