Cytotoxic-lnduced Ovarian Failure in Hodgkin's Disease

To the Editor.— The articles by Chapman et al (242:1877; 1882, 1979) and the one by Sutcliffe (242:1898, 1979) provide lucid descriptions of women who have experienced great emotional trauma as a result of having a potentially fatal disease that must be treated with highly toxic although life-saving medications. These traumas are caused by the illness itself, grief reactions, financial pressure, interruption of lives, relief as the illness abates, among many relevant stresses. The family shares all of these traumas with the patient. Finally, there is the recognition that a patient may become physically and emotionally damaged by this illness and the required treatment. The authors' primary thesis is recognition of ovarian failure and concomitant sexual dysfunction as a result of chemotherapy. Patient education and estrogen replacement are treatments for this perceived iatrogenic disease. These women have other problems related to their illness and treatment, such as dysphoric mood, agitation,