How can Breast Cancer patients treat their hot flashes?

There is enough controversy on how postmenopausal symptoms can be treated safely with hormone replacement, that I will have to write separately about that. But once you have Breast Cancer, there is consensus that you cannot feed the precancerous cell with estrogen replacement, especially if it is hormone receptor positive.

In addition, we often induce early menopause with chemotherapy. And we then reduce estrogen effect even further with anti estrogen therapy, in order to improve cure rates.

All of this causes a quandary as to how to treat the hot flashes.

The options are limited: Drug Therapy and Behavior Modification

Venlafexine is an antidepressant, which has a side effect of reducing the vasomotor effects of hot flashes

Clonidine is an old anti hypertensive medication, which works in a fair number of people.

Behavior therapy has recently been shown to be beneficial. A study was recently published in Lancet Oncology. Women were divided into two groups: usual care vs. a weekly group therapy session, which taught them breathing and relaxation techniques. The intervention group showed a benefit that lasted beyond the interventions.

For the most part, the hot flashes in the post Breast Cancer patient do not last for the entire 5-year duration of hormone blockade and will ease off over a 6-12 month period.