Impact of hot flashes on quality of life among postmenopausal women being treated for breast cancer

Hot flashes are among the most commonly reported symptoms among women who h ave completed treatment for breast cancer. Relatively little is known, howe ver; about hotflashes among women while they are undergoing beast cancer tr eatment. The present study investigated the prevalence and severity of hotf lashes of women during chemotherapy and radiotherapy for breast cancer We a lso sought to identify the medical, demographic, and treatment correlates o f hot flashes during treatment and to document the impact of hot flashes on quality of life. Seventy postmenopausal women, with breast cancer complete d a self-report questionnaire packet during chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Forty percent (n = 28) reported hotflashes during the week prior to assessm ent. Of the 28 women endorsing hot flashes, 25 % (n = 7) rated them as seve re, 39% (n = 11) rated them as moderate, and 36% (n = 10) rated them as mil d. Women with hot flashes were significantly (p < 0.05) younger and reporte d significantly (p < 0.001) more fatigue, poorer sleep quality, and poorer physical health compared to women without hot flashes. Multivariate analyse s revealed that, even after controlling for relevant medical, demographic, and treatment variables, the prevalence of hot flashes significantly (p < 0 . 05) predicted poorer sleep quality, more fatigue, and worse physical heal th. The results indicate that hot flashes are experienced by a sizable perc entage of postmenopausal breast cancer patients as they undergo treatment. Hot flashes during cancer treatment appear to have a negative impact upon p atient quality of life that may be due, in part, to fatigue and interferenc e with sleep. Future research should seek to evaluate interventions to reli eve hot flashes during beast cancer treatment as a means of improving. pati ent quality of life. (C) U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee, 2000.