Hormonal therapy and genital tract cancer

82

Abstract

Ocular hypertensive temic hypertension

effect

of menopause

with

section

and without

I Maturitas sys-

Qureshi IA. Physiology Rawalpindi,

Department, Pakistam

Rawalpindi

Medical

College.

ACTA OBSTET GYNECOL SCAND 1996; 75 (3): 266-269. Background. Mean intraocular pressure in postmenopausal women is higher than that in menstruating women. Intraocular pressure is positively correlated with systemic blood pressure. No previous study has compared intraocular pressure in postmenopausal women with systemic hypertension and those without. Purpose. To investigate the effects of menopause on intraocular pressure in subjects with and without high blood pressure, after eliminating those factors that can affect intraocular pressure. Methods. Normotensive menstruating and menopausal, along with hypertensive menopausal subjects of the same age groups were studied. Intraocular pressure was measured with the Goldmann applanation tonometer. Results. The mean intraocular pressure of the normotensive and hypertensive postmenopausal women were 0.73 f 0.27 (P < 0.05). and 1.09 f 0.34 (P < 0.01) mmHg higher than normotensive; menstruating women respectively. The mean intraocular pressure of hypertensive postmenopausal women was 0.36 + 0.15 mmHg (P < 0.05) higher than that of normotensive postmenopausal women. Conclusions. Menopause significantly increases intraocular pressure. Mean intraocular pressure of hypertensive postmenopausal women was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of normotensive postmenopausal women. Knowledge of the normal level of intraocular pressure during various stages of female sexual life may help glaucoma screeners. Screening

for osteoporosis:

What

is the role of heel ultrasound?

Pocock NA, Noakes KA, Howard GM, Nguyen TV, Kelly PJ, Sambrook PN, Eisman JA, Freund J. Nuclear Medicine Department, NS W 2010, Australia

St Vincent’s

MED J AUST 1996; 164 (6): 3677370.

Hospital,

Sydney,

25 (1996)

77-82

Could focused population screening detect osteoporosis earlier and improve the management of this major health care problem? Quantitative ultrasound of the calcaneus is currently being proposed as a suitable screening technique. Correlations between quantitative ultrasound of the calcaneus and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry of bone mineral density of the spine and proximal femur are not high enough to reliably predict bone mineral density at the lumbar spine or proximal femur from the ultrasound results. Some ongoing longitudinal studies suggest that quantitative ultrasound may none the less detect individuals at increased risk of fracture, but its use for mass screening for osteoporosis would be premature. Hormonal

therapy

and genital

tract

cancer

Wren B. Ctr. fbr Management oj Women, 188 Oxford Street,

Menopause. Royal Hospital Svdney, NS W 2021, Australia

fbr

CURR OPIN OBSTET GYNECOL 1996; 8 (I): 38-41. The use of hormonal replacement therapy following genital tract cancer is often denied to women because of the fear of increasing the risk of recurrence or new growth. The paucity of articles written on this subject during the past decade is an indication of the attitude of the medical profession to the needs of women suffering from symptoms of sex hormone deficiency. During 1994- 1995 there were few articles published on the use of hormonal therapy to treat menopausal symptoms following genital tract cancer. Several articles, however, reviewed the relationship between hormones and genital tract cancer, some explored the value of anti-oestrogens in controlling recurrent or secondary disease. and a few others discussed the risk of developing uterine cancer when tamoxifen was used to manage postmenopausal breast cancer. Some suggestions are made that will allow women suffering from symptoms of hormone deficiency to receive alternative regimens of hormonal therapy. Maintaining quality of tife without reducing the potential length of life is paramount in reaching a decision on the use of hormonal therapy following genital tract cancer.