Some 400 women participated in the study -- 200 between the ages of 40 and 64 who did not have a breast cancer diagnosis and 200 under the age of 65 undergoing breast cancer treatment during the course of the study. Breast cancer treatment was provided in the form of hormone therapy (tamoxifen) and/or chemotherapy.

Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire in which they answered questions regarding their general health and menstrual history; any side effects they were experiencing as a result of breast cancer treatment; and the impact of these side effects on their family relationships, work or domestic responsibilities, and social life.

Although many women experience menopause symptoms, these symptoms do not inevitably have a negative impact on their quality of life, says study author Gail McPhail. She co-authored the study with Lorraine N. Smith, head of the Nursing and Midwifery School at Glasgow, where McPhail is a Macmillan Lecturer and a practitioner.

The authors say there were no statistical differences between the women with breast cancer and their counterparts, and most members in both groups rated their general health as average or above. In fact, 126 of those with breast cancer rated their health as average or above, despite the breast cancer diagnosis, and 100 respondents in this group reported little or no impact on family relationships.

However, the authors also point out that it appears that there are subgroups of women who do require intervention and support during the menopause transition. For example, one study participant writes, "At times I feel the quality of my life has deteriorated. Trying to work full-time while coping with all these symptoms is difficult."

The study also indicates that for those undergoing breast cancer treatment, the type of treatment appeared to have an impact on the type of menopause symptoms, with women receiving chemotherapy more likely to report tiredness, and women receiving tamoxifen more likely to report hot flashes than their counterparts.

"This study brings attention to the fact that women close to menopause who undergo chemotherapy can lose their ovarian function and develop significant symptoms of menopause. Because it comes on so abruptly, the symptoms can be worse and contribute to the side effects that these women are already getting from the chemotherapy," says Herman Kattlove, MD, an oncologist and medical editor with the American Cancer Society.

"Women at this stage do have a lot of problems with post-menopausal symptoms and that raises the question of what to do about it," says Kattlove. "In my practice [menopause symptoms] were a significant problem for some women. They were terribly unhappy because their symptoms really interfered with their quality of life."

For women not undergoing breast cancer treatment, hormone replacement therapy is the most common intervention for menopausal symptoms. However, Kattlove says, many studies are currently being conducted on how to treat menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer and many answers are still needed.

"Sometimes studies only ask questions and that?s important also," says Kattlove. "That?s what these studies are doing and now maybe other people can begin to try to solve this problem. In my practice, we always ended up working our way through a lot of different treatments and doing whatever it took to try and control the post-menopausal symptoms."