Menopause in itself does not—and cannot—cause cancer as it is a normal physiological process of the body. However, as statistics will tell you, there is indeed a higher risk of getting one as you reach this stage in your adult life.
For women ages 41 and above, menopause is when your ovaries no longer produce eggs which in return would characterized by irregular menstrual period until it completely stops. Menopause also plays havoc with your hormones, particularly that of your reproductive system’s. Menopause is kicking in as soon as you experience these common menopausal symptoms:
•    Hot/cold flashes
•    Vaginal dryness
•    Mood swings
•    Decrease in sex drive
•    Menstrual irregularities
By the way, cancer treatments can also cause premature menopause such that if your body underwent cancer treatments or is still under treatment right now, there’s a chance that you might experience menopause at an earlier age than your body is supposed to.
Back to menopause and its cancer risks, like stated earlier, according to studies done, it is not the process of menopause itself but the hormonal reaction brought about by sudden changes your body must undergo within this phase that puts you at risk. Estrogen, specifically, is a hormone produced by the female body, unfortunately, this is the same hormone which is suspected to be a culprit behind most types of cancer found in a female’s body such as breast, ovary and uterine cancers.
Then there’s the issue of hormone replacement therapy..
Decades ago, when a woman complained to her doctor about menopausal symptoms interfering with her daily life, the doctor would quickly prescribe and put the patient in hormone replacement therapy which as the name suggests, replaces lost hormones in a female’s body. The therapy, although it won’t reverse the effects of menopause, will alleviate common symptoms of menopausal such as hot flashes. Due to the degree of comfort it gave to women the world over, many were quick to believe they now have the answer to women’s greatest malady, unfortunately, studies conducted years later pointed an accusing finger to the therapy itself being the number one cause of cancer in women.
This is because experts believe that further exposing a woman’s body to estrogen will definitely increase their chances of having cancer later in life. It is also important to note that even if you already dumped the therapy years ago, you still have a much higher cancer risk than those who did not bother with hormone replacement therapy at all!