Register for Nocturnal hot flashes contribute to insomnia in survivors
Breast CancerAugust 16, 2004
2004 AUG 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- It will not come as a surprise to affected women, but research shows nocturnal hot flashes interrupt the sleep of breast cancer survivors who have completed treatment and who suffer from insomnia.
University of Laval, Canada, researchers studied 24 women who were breast cancer survivors, had completed treatment for nonmetastatic breast cancer, and participating in a study of cognitive-behavioral treatment for chronic insomnia.
"The 10-minute periods around hot flashes were found to have significantly more wake time and more stage changes to lighter sleep than other 10-minute periods during the night," reported J. Savard and colleagues.
"Nights with hot flashes had a significantly higher percentage of wake time, a lower percentage of Stage 2 sleep, and a longer REM [rapid eye movement] latency compared to rights without hot flashes," they said.
The researchers concluded that "[o]verall, hot flashes were found to be associated with less efficient, more disrupted steep. Nocturnal hotflashes, or their underlying mechanisms should be considered as potential contributors to sleep disruption in women with breast cancer who report poor sleep."
Savard and coauthors published their study in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management (The association between nocturnal hot flashes and sleep in breast cancer survivors. J Pain Symptom Manage, 2004;27(6):513-522).
For additional information, contact J. Savard, University of Laval, Cancer Research Center, 11 Cote Palais, Quebec City, PQ G1R 2J6, Canada.
The publisher's contact information for the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management is: Elsevier Science Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-1710 USA.
The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Breast Cancer, Therapy, Insomnia, and Adverse Effects. This article was prepared by Clinical Oncology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2004, Clinical Oncology Week via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net.
©Copyright 2004, Cancer Weekly via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net
