Episode
Episode 211- The PIONEER Trial: Rethinking Hormones After Breast Cancer?
- Published
- Apr 1, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2572
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://menopauseandcancer.org/podcast/
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Summary
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 breast unit is developing its menopause service, including group education sessions to help prepare patients earlier and improve access to support. This is a really thoughtful conversation about evidence, uncertainty, quality of life, and why people affected by cancer deserve honest, nuanced menopause care. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Introduction 04:49 "World Menopause & Cancer Day" 06:21 GP Turned Women's Health Specialist 09:44 "Menopause, Breast Cancer, and Controversies" 13:29 Progesterone Trial Slows Cancer Growth 17:13 Hormonal Interplay and Cancer Risk 22:40 "Balancing Treatment Choices Ca…