Flashes In Postmenopausal Women Research Articles

Tamoxifen to raloxifene and beyond.

Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), is the treatment of choice for all stages of hormone-responsive breast cancer and has been shown to prevent breast cancer in high-risk women. Despite acting as an antiestrogen on the breast, tamoxifen has partial estrogenic effects on other target tissues. These partial estrogen agonistic actions produce beneficial effects on bones and the lipid profile in postmenopausal women. However, tamoxifen is associated with an increase in endometrial cancer. Additionally, its antiestrogenic effects in the central nervous system result in hot flashes in postmenopausal women. Raloxifene is another SERM approved for the prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Like tamoxifen, raloxifene appears to prevent breast cancer in high-risk women and has not, to date, been noted to increase the incidence of endometrial cancer. The Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene will compare the effects of the two agents on breast cancer prevention and endometrial cancer risk. A number of new agents are being developed for breast cancer treatment and prevention and osteoporosis prevention. These include other SERMs, selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs), and aromatase inhibitors. It is hoped that one of these new agents will be the ideal agent, acting as an antiestrogen on breast and endometrium while having estrogenic effects on bones, the lipid profile, and the central nervous system. Semin Oncol 28:260-273.

Clonidine was effective for reducing tamoxifen associated hot flashes in postmenopausal women with breast cancer

Source Citation Pandya KJ, Raubertas RF, Flynn PJ, et al. Oral clonidine in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer experiencing tamoxifen-induced hot flashes: a University of Rochester Cancer C...

Clonidine was effective for reducing tamoxifen-associated hot flashes in postmenopausal women with breast cancer

Clonidine was effective for reducing tamoxifen-associated hot flashes in postmenopausal women with breast cancer

Hot flashes in postmenopausal women treated for breast carcinoma

Research on hot flashes (HFs) after the diagnosis and treatment of breast carcinoma (BC) is scarce. To our knowledge, this research represents the second study of HF prevalence and severity in women with BC and the first study of 1) correlates of HF prevalence and severity, 2) use of HF management strategies, and 3) the relation between HFs and quality of life (QOL) among women with BC. Eligible women (n = 136) participated in structured telephone interviews. Of the 114 postmenopausal women interviewed, 65% reported HFs, with 59% of women with HFs (n = 74) rating the symptom as severe. Multivariate analysis revealed that 1) HFs were most common in women with a high school education or less and those who were younger at diagnosis and 2) HFs were most severe in women with a higher body mass index, those who were younger at diagnosis, and those receiving tamoxifen. Among women with HFs, 37% were not using any HF management strategies and 63% expressed interest in learning more regarding > or = 1 strategy. HFs marginally were related to decreased mental and physical QOL using the SF-12 Health Survey (P < 0.10). The results of the current study significantly contribute to knowledge regarding HFs in women with BC and support the need for carefully controlled clinical trials evaluating interventions for relieving HFs in this population.

Hot flashes in postmenopausal women treated for breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND Research on hot flashes (HFs) after the diagnosis and treatment of breast carcinoma (BC) is scarce. To our knowledge, this research represents the second study of HF prevalence and severity in women with BC and the first study of 1) correlates of HF prevalence and severity, 2) use of HF management strategies, and 3) the relation between HFs and quality of life (QOL) among women with BC. METHODS Eligible women (n = 136) participated in structured telephone interviews. RESULTS Of the 114 postmenopausal women interviewed, 65% reported HFs, with 59% of women with HFs (n = 74) rating the symptom as severe. Multivariate analysis revealed that 1) HFs were most common in women with a high school education or less and those who were younger at diagnosis and 2) HFs were most severe in women with a higher body mass index, those who were younger at diagnosis, and those receiving tamoxifen. Among women with HFs, 37% were not using any HF management strategies and 63% expressed interest in learning more regarding ≥1 strategy. HFs marginally were related to decreased mental and physical QOL using the SF-12 Health Survey (P < 0.10). CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study significantly contribute to knowledge regarding HFs in women with BC and support the need for carefully controlled clinical trials evaluating interventions for relieving HFs in this population. Cancer 1998;82:1682-91. © 1998 American Cancer Society.

Hot flashes in postmenopausal women ameliorated by danazol

Six postmenopausal women with hot flashes were studed for two 8-week periods during which they received low-dose danazol (100 mg/24 hours) for one time interval and placebo for the other in a randomized double-blind manner. The patients recorded the number and severity of their hot flashes daily. On the last day of each period the patients were admitted to the research center overnight for an 8-hour monitoring of forehead skin temperatures and for continuous withdrawal of blood to determine 20-minute integrated levels of luteinizing hormone. Three of the six patients responded to danazol with a mean reduction of 88% in the number of hot flashes and a 53% decrease in the severity of hot flashes. Responders differed from nonresponders in that on treatment the frequency of nocturnal pulses of luteinizing hormone was reduced more (36.1% versus 14.4%), the increase in amplitude of the pulses was greater (+30.7% versus -11.8%), and the fall in the mean level of luteinizing hormone was more marked (19.0% versus 10.5%). The findings suggest that danazol may be a reasonable alternative to estrogen in the treatment of postmenopausal women with severe vasomotor symptoms.

Clonidine for hot flashes : Laufer L, Erlik Y, Meldrum D, Judd H. Effect of clonidine on hot flashes in postmenopausal women. Obstet Gynecol 60:583, 1982

Clonidine for hot flashes : Laufer L, Erlik Y, Meldrum D, Judd H. Effect of clonidine on hot flashes in postmenopausal women. Obstet Gynecol 60:583, 1982