Treatment Pearl for Common Breast Cancer Related Symptoms
The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
With the decline in breast cancer deaths has come the increase in treatment related symptoms
The focus of the talk was evidence based treatments of the 5 most common breast cancer related issue;
Vaginal dryness
Fatigue
Chemotherapy related neuropathy
Diminished libido
Hot Flashes
Suggested treatments'
1. Vaginal dryness
Salagen (pilocarpine) is under investigation because relief of vaginal dryness has been reported in studies using pilocarpine to treat the oral and ocular dryness of Sjogren's syndrome
Estrogen can improve vaginal dryness but is not recommended because of concern for breast cancer recurrence.
2. Fatigue
"Exercise is the answer, not more rest!"
3. Chemotherapy induced neuropathy
Gabapentin has been widely prescribed for this without research evidence of benefit.
Vitamin E has been reported to be of benefit base on one small (50 pt) study.
A larger study to evaluate this is currently being done
4. Low Libido
Sexual counseling is the only recommended treatment.
Transdermal testosterone cream has proven ineffective in trials
5.Hot Flashes
Studies have shown the oral anttidepressants venlafaxine, fluoxetine, and paroxetine have all been shown to be of some effect in the treatment of hot flashes.