Chemotherapy Can Cause Loss of Bone Density

Soon after I finished chemo for breast cancer, I had a regular physical exam. My nurse-practitioner decided to send me for a bone density scan, something I had never considered. I was 47, active, regaining stamina and appetite, and dutifully taking my vitamins. Why should I worry about my bones, when I had just survived breast cancer and chemotherapy? It turned out to be a case of "what you don't know can hurt you." The scan showed that I was osteopenic (starting to have thinning bones) and that had happened during chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy can suppress estrogen, which is good for fighting some kinds of breast cancer, but your bones need estrogen to be strong. What do you need to know about estrogen, bone loss, and chemotherapy?