Ovarian suppression is a treatment for premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. It uses drug therapy or surgery to prevent the ovaries from making estrogen, so the tumor can’t get the estrogen it needs to grow. Ovarian suppression stops menstrual periods and lowers hormone levels in the body, just like what happens when you go through natural menopause.

Ovarian suppression is always given in combination with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor. It’s not used on its own.

Common ovarian suppression drugs include leuprolide, or Lupron; and goserelin, also known as Zoladex. For most women, the ovaries start making estrogen again after stopping these drugs. Both drugs are given by injection and can cause a variety of side effects.

Another option is an oophorectomy, or surgical removal of the ovaries, which stops the production of estrogen and progesterone. This permanently ends menstrual periods and leads to early menopause.

Women treated with ovarian suppression should discuss potential side effects in detail with their doctor. Ovarian suppression combined with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor causes more side effects from the loss of estrogen than the use of tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor alone. Talk with your doctor about which approach is right for you.

For more information, visit the Ovarian Suppression page within the Treatment section of komen.org.