Does Oxybutynin Reduce Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Survivors?
Posted: Thursday, January 17, 2019
Oxybutynin, an anticholinergic agent most commonly used to treat urinary incontinence, may reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes among women unable to take hormone replacement therapy, including breast cancer survivors, according to the results of the ACCRU study SC-1603, presented at the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS; Abstract GS6-02). Women treated with oxybutynin reported improvements in several quality-of-life measures, although the study did not address the long-term toxicities of the treatment.
“Hot flashes not only impact quality of life; they can also be associated with premature discontinuation of breast cancer treatment, which may increase the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality,” Roberto A. Leon-Ferre, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, explained in an SABCS press release.
The authors randomly assigned 150 women to 3 groups: 2 groups received oxybutynin at different doses and the third received a matching placebo. Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire at baseline and monthly that tracked the frequency and severity of hot flashes, as well as a hot flash–related daily interference scale, all of which resulted in a score valued by the investigators.
Both groups treated with oxybutynin reported significant reductions in hot flash scores and frequency compared with those treated with placebo. Both treatment arms reported improvements in work, social, and leisure activities; sleep; relations; life enjoyment; and overall quality of life. Although those treated with oxybutynin experienced more side effects than did those treated with placebo, the rate of treatment discontinuation as a result remained low.
Disclosure: The study authors’ disclosures can be found at SABCS.org.
