UK Study Finds Barriers to Hormone Therapy for Cervical Cancer Patients

Oncologists willing to prescribe, but lack of awareness and long-term care capacity are obstacles

Apr. 17, 2026 at 12:30am

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A translucent, ghostly X-ray image showing the female reproductive system, with the ovaries and uterus glowing faintly against a dark background, conceptually representing the delicate internal structures affected by cervical cancer treatment and the importance of supportive care.An X-ray-style illustration reveals the internal structures affected by cervical cancer treatment, highlighting the need for supportive therapies like hormone therapy to manage side effects.Lexington Today

A new study from the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center found that while most oncologists say they would prescribe hormone therapy to cervical cancer patients experiencing early menopause from radiation treatment, barriers like lack of awareness of clinical guidelines and the capacity to manage long-term patient care are keeping many from doing so in practice.

Why it matters

Hormone therapy can significantly improve quality of life and long-term health for cervical cancer survivors who experience premature menopause due to radiation treatment, but the treatment remains underutilized. Identifying and addressing the key barriers oncologists face is crucial to ensuring more patients can access this important supportive care.

The details

The study, led by Markey Cancer Center radiation oncologist Denise Fabian, M.D., surveyed 178 gynecologic and radiation oncology clinicians nationally. While 99.3% of gynecologic oncologists and 73.8% of radiation oncologists said they would consider prescribing hormonal therapy after chemoradiotherapy, both groups reported barriers including the capacity to manage patients' care over the long term and a lack of awareness of existing clinical guidelines supporting the use of hormone therapy in this patient population.

  • The study was published in JAMA Network Open on April 17, 2026.

The players

Denise Fabian, M.D.

A radiation oncologist at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center and the lead author of the study.

Morgan Levy, M.D.

The first author of the study and a member of the research team.

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What they’re saying

“This study highlights a critical opportunity to strengthen survivorship care for cervical cancer patients, both in Kentucky and nationwide. Hormone therapy can meaningfully improve not only quality of life, but also long-term health. We need to ensure more patients can access it.”

— Denise Fabian, Radiation Oncologist, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center

“This work has shown us that oncologists are interested in prescribing hormonal therapy to improve quality of life for our patients. We are excited to continue working with our multidisciplinary team in survivorship and gynecologic oncology to design interventions to improve the standard of care.”

— Morgan Levy, Researcher, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center

What’s next

The researchers say future work will focus on increasing guideline awareness and finding ways to make prescribing more manageable for clinicians, with the goal of getting more patients access to care that evidence shows is safe and effective.

The takeaway

This study highlights an important gap in supportive care for cervical cancer survivors, with oncologists willing to provide hormone therapy to manage premature menopause but facing systemic barriers that limit access to this beneficial treatment. Addressing these barriers through education and process improvements could significantly improve quality of life for many cervical cancer patients.