Impact of risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in premenopausal women

Abstract

Objectives: To describe implications of premenopausal risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) on quality of life, endocrine symptoms, sexual function, osteoporosis, cardiovascular health, metabolic syndrome, cognitive impairment and safety of hormone replacement therapy.

Methods: We searched the following electronic databases: The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and MEDLINE. We selected controlled and uncontrolled trials of premenopausal women undergoing RRSO. Two authors independently assessed studies for inclusion. Reference lists of included reports were searched manually for additional studies.

Results: Surgical menopause leads to more menopausal complaints and sexual dysfunction than natural menopause. Overall quality of life is not affected by surgery. In the limited literature, there is no evidence that RRSO leads to more osteopenia in comparison with natural menopause at a young age. Cohort studies show a slight impaired cardiovascular health. Cognitive function decreases later in life in premenopausal oophorectomized women. Short-term hormone replacement therapy seems to decline postmenopausal complaints and does not seem to increase the risk for breast carcinoma in mutation carriers without a personal history of breast carcinoma.

Conclusions: The conclusions of this systematic review are limited by the absence of randomized, controlled trials. There is growing evidence from observational studies that RRSO may impact negatively on all-cause non-survival endpoints.

Keywords:

• BRCA
• hormone replacement therapy
• menopause
• quality of life
• risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy

Acknowledgement

We thank Elda de Cuba for her excellent help with the electronic systematic literature search.

Conflict of interest

The authors indicate no potential conflicts of interest.

Source of funding

Nil.