PROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF VITAMIN-E FOR HOT FLASHES IN BREAST-CANCER SURVIVORS

Purpose: Hot flashes represent a substantial clinical problem for some breast cancer survivors. Although estrogen or progesterone preparatio ns can alleviate these symptoms in many patients, concern remains rega rding the use of hormonal preparations in such women. Thus, there is a perceived need for nonhormonal treatments for hot flashes for breast cancer survivors. Based on anecdotal evidence that vitamin E was helpf ul, we designed a trial to investigate this matter. Methods: We develo ped and conducted a placebo-controlled, randomised, crossover trial wh ere, after a 1 week baseline period, patients received 4 weeks of vita min E 800 IU daily, then 4 weeks of an identical-appearing placebo, or vice versa. Diaries were used to measure potential toxicities and hot flashes during the baseline week and the two subsequent 4-week treatm ent periods. Results: The 120 patients evaluated for toxicity failed t o show any. The 105 patients who finished the first treatment period s howed a similar reduction in hot flash frequencies (25% v 22%; P = .90 ) for the two study arms. A crossover analysis, however, showed that v itamin E was associated with a minimal decrease in hot flashes (one le ss hot flash per day than was seen with a placebo) (P less than or equ al to .05). At the study end, patients did not prefer vitamin 8 over t he placebo (32% v 29%, respectively). Conclusion: Although this trial was able to show a statistically significant hot flash reduction with vitamin E compared to a placebo, the clinical magnitude of this reduct ion was marginal. (C) 1998 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.