Evidence-Based Treatment of Hot Flashes Related to Cancer Therapies

treatment of breast cancer in post-menopausal women with disease progression following tamoxifen therapy. Hypersensitivity to

The article, “Hot flashes in menopause may have genetic links”, by Catharine Paddock is relevant to our class because it addresses an important topic of women’s biology and period of time in women life. When we discussed the topic of menopause we went over the perimenopause which is the signs of women experiencing menopause like headaches. Similarly in the article Paddock explained the symptoms of hot flash and night sweats women commonly expressed during or after menopause. We learned in class about the symptoms but we did not explore further into it to understand why this occurs in the women’s biology.

Breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy have faced the almost inevitable prospect of losing their hair. DigniCap, a cooling system that chills patients' scalps to reduce chemo hair loss, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FAD) for breast cancer. The DigniCap, made by Sweden's Dignitana AB, is the first version officially cleared by the FDA. The company will lease the device to cancer centers to use as their patients come in for chemotherapy (1).

My reticuloendothelial system defends me too diligently. We are one of those riding out the biological purification process, our bodies feel that feel more like superheated tin men that’s freezing all at once. If I were to light up my wrenched joints, the constellation of stars and lights would glow on the map, lit up to follow whirling storm fronts . A friend and I trade texts: My fan’s on full blast—I’m not warm enough, I have now wrapped myself in my bed sheet. You?

There is a lack of collective focus regarding the recommendation of estrogen hormone therapy (ET) for postmenopausal women. For advanced practice nurses (APRN), clarification is necessary in order to inform their clients experiencing menopause of the risks and benefits of hormone therapy use. In the United States, breast cancer is the second leading cause of female death behind cardiovascular disease and its etiology is recently becoming more fully defined (Eccles, 2013). Breast cancer is exacerbated by the number of years clients use hormone therapy as well as each client’s lifestyle (Beckmann, 2014). Hormone therapy combination, dose and length of therapy as well as the client’s medical history all impact onset of malignancy, but the

Women may experience a range of emotions with the diagnosis as well as throughout the treatment as a result of breast cancer, such as: sadness, anger, fear and guilt. Therefore, it is essential to closely monitor the client for their psychosocial adjustment to the diagnosis and treatment, and identifying those that need further psychological interventions (Boehmke & Dickerson, 2006). This includes being aware of the impact the diagnosis will have on the family members and loved ones; as their support is warranted as possible caregivers during the process. Appropriate nursing diagnoses for a woman with a new verdict of breast cancer may include (but not limited to): disturbed body image related to loss of hair due to chemotherapy; fear related to the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease; and knowledge deficit of cancer treatment options and reconstructive surgery. Other diagnosis will be added and removed as the patient decides if she wants treatment; and the psychological, psychosocial, and physical changes that may affect her quality of life. For instance, after a mastectomy the patient may have a nursing diagnosis of: risk for disturbed body

As a result, the amount of money that gets propelled back into the healthcare industry skyrockets as the list of medical issues following these treatments grows more and more extensive. A study done by Dr. John Diamond shows that females who undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments “face a 35% chance of developing breast cancer by the time they are 40, which is 75 times greater than average” (Dr. John Diamond, MD). Chemotherapy and radiation have been proven to weaken, and sometimes completely destroy, the immune system. This makes the already physically unstable patient even more susceptible to illnesses and diseases that they wouldn 't otherwise have had to worry about. Consequently, the recurrence of cancer is a very likely, and in some cases, unavoidable. But it is unacceptable that the most common and easily accessible drug is the reason why 35% of patients will develop a second cancer (haematologica.org). Many other cancers can come as a result of chemotherapy too. One study found that, "Patients who underwent chemo were 14 times more likely to develop leukemia and 6 times more likely to develop cancers of the bones, joints, and soft tissues than those patients who did not undergo

Heat characteristic of this period occur because decreased levels of estrogen affects the thermoregulatory center, the brain region responsible for regulating the body temperature. It detonates a true thermal runaway. More than a torment, the arrival of hot flushes should be seen as a warning. Victims of hot flashes will go through the menopause. This could be the end of menstruation and childbearing life. The hot flashes and other symptoms can remain for up to five years after menopause. Some women, however, go through menopause without feeling any discomfort, especially those who have healthy life. However, most are not only affected by heat waves. You can also experience decreased libido, vaginal dryness caused by, and failures in memory, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, anxiety

Hot flushes and night sweats are the most common symptoms of menopause. Potential triggers such as caffeine, smoking, alcohol, an overheated room, the wrong clothing and spicy food can all exacerbate these and other menopause symptoms. Keep a diary of where you were and what you were doing and within a

Due to an effect of gabapentin at the level of hypothalamus to regulate the temperature, it can also be used as an effective non-hormonal therapy for hot flashes, a bothersome problem of menopause. It is shown to be more efficacy if used in patients with hot flashes that associated with sleep interference [17].

With prolonged heat exposure the older adult is not able to shed excess heat at an adequate rate. This can result in adverse effects such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and exacerbating chronic health conditions. Some things that can be done to help decrease these adverse effects are to educate the older adult on the effects exposure to heat can have, and having the older adult refrain from prolonged heat exposure. Providing the older adult with ways to stay cool while in the heat include, wearing a hat, or a cool wet towel around the neck to aid in the older adult not overheating. Another thing that needs to be assessed is if the patient has air conditioning or a fan to help keep the older adults living environment in a safe temperature during hot days (Kravchenko, Abernethy, Fawzy, & Lyerly,

Parts of your body, usually the face and neck, become flush and may appear red. This sudden feeling of heat can also be followed by heavy sweating and cold shivering. Hot flashes can last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes (Trien 45). Nights sweats are when you experience a hot flash while sleeping. Sometimes they are severe enough to wake you out of a sound sleep. Not everyone who has hot flashes gets them at night. However, those who have night sweats always have hot flashes during the day as well.

Due to cancer including over 100 different diseases it can cause almost any type of symptom through both direct and indirect mechanisms. The American Cancer Society lists the following as general symptoms that if persist for a long period of time and worsen, might be indicative of the presence of cancer, unexplained weight loss, fever, fatigue, pain and skin changes such as itching, excessive hair growth, hyperpigmentation, jaundice and reddened skin. These symptoms, due to their wide variety, aren’t expected to solely lead to an individual diagnosis.

Brisdelle, a non-hormonal therapy for the treatment of hot flushes in menopause women is approved by FDA, which was filed as a 505(b)(2) application in which the sponsor Noven Therapeutics LLC has abbreviated some studies from Paxil and Pexeva, that belong to the class of SSRI. FDA, the regulating authority review the applications from sponsor and give a decision based on the data provided. For an NDA, a sponsor is required to follow various regulations and guidance documents provided by FDA. Also sponsor need to submit a high quality pre-clinical data like CMC, Pharmacology, safety pharmacology and toxicology studies and clinical studies to ensure that the drug is safe and effective. Overall, it is the responsibility of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) to regulate the drug approval process in united states.

Mitchel and Barnes (2005) note that menopause or peri-menopause has the effect of increasing depressive symptoms or initiating the onset of depressive symptoms. A systematic review of literature on the impact of menopause on the course of bipolar disorder indicate that postmenopausal women reported worsening mood symptoms particularly depression (Mitchel & Barnes, 2005). A study by Dalal and Agarwal (2015) on postmenopausal syndrome found that 75% of women investigated experienced vasomotor symptoms; in some case the symptoms lasted for up to 10 years. The symptoms included hot flushes, emotional lability, difficulty in concentrating and insomnia. The highlighted symptoms are similar to bipolar disorder symptoms.