A Study on Hypnosis with Breast Cancer Patients and Hot Flashes

There is a study going on to see if hypnosis helps breast cancer patients with estrogen driven cancer who cannot take estrogen. Please find the information below:

Sponsored by:
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Information provided by:
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00094133

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine whether hypnosis is effective in reducing hot flashes in breast cancer survivors. This study will also determine whether patients who can more easily be hypnotized will have less often and less severe hot flashes following hypnosis treatment.
Condition
Intervention
Breast NeoplasmsHot FlashesMenopause
Behavior: Hypnosis
MedlinePlus related topics: Breast Cancer; MenopauseGenetics Home Reference related topics: breast cancer
Study Type: InterventionalStudy Design: Treatment, Randomized, Open Label, Placebo Control, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study
Further Study Details:
Expected Total Enrollment: 60
Study start: April 2004

Hot flashes are a significant problem for many breast cancer survivors, often resulting in disrupted sleep, anxiety, and decreased quality of life. Estrogen replacement therapy is standard treatment for hot flashes in women with no history of breast cancer. However, estrogens have been associated with increased risk of breast cancer, and therefore are not recommended for breast cancer survivors because of the increased risk of redeveloping breast cancer. Safe and effective interventions are needed to help breast cancer survivors who experience hot flashes. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of hypnosis in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes in breast cancer survivors.
Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to receive either five weekly sessions of hypnosis or no treatment. Participants will complete daily diaries detailing the frequency and severity of their hot flashes. Participants will be asked to complete weekly self-report questionnaires to monitor anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and sexual functioning.

Eligibility
Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years and above, Genders Eligible for Study: Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
History of primary breast cancer without evidence of current detectable disease
Self-reported history of at least 14 hot flashes per week within 1 month prior to study entry
Life expectancy greater than 6 months
Able to attend weekly hypnosis sessions
Exclusion Criteria:
Current treatment for hot flashes
Current treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy
Current hormonal therapy other than anti-hormonal agents for breast cancer
Use of anti-hormonal agents or other therapies for breast cancer within 1 month prior to study entry
Medical or psychiatric condition which may interfere with the study
Current treatment with hypnosis
Location and Contact Information
Please refer to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00094133
Texas Scott and White Clinic and Hospital, Temple, Texas, 76508, United States; Recruiting
Gary Elkins, PhD 254-724-2460 gelkins@swmail.sw.org