10287
0
Posted on Oct 31, 2008, 5 a.m.
By Rich Hurd
New research suggests that women who experience hot flashes, night sweats, and joint pain while being treated with the breast cancer drugs tamoxifen or anastrozole are less likely to have a recurrence of the disease.
New research suggests that women who experience hot flashes, night sweats, and joint pain while being treated with the breast cancer drugs tamoxifen or anastrozole are less likely to have a recurrence of the disease.
Professor Jack Cuzick and colleagues found that the recurrence rate of breast cancer was lower in women who reported hot flashes and night sweats after treatment with tamoxifen or anastrozole. The recurrence rate was lower still in women who also reported joint pain.
The researchers say that their findings suggest that hot flashes, night sweats, and joint pain, indicate that a woman is responding well to treatment. They add that the knowledge that such symptoms are associated with a lower recurrence rate may encourage women to keep taking their medication.
Cuzick J, Sestak I, Cella D, Fallowfield L, on behalf of the ATAC Trialists' Group.Treatment-emergent endocrine symptoms and the risk of breast cancer recurrence: a retrospective analysis of the ATAC trial. The Lancet Oncology. Early Online Publication, 30 October 2008. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(08)70259-6
