Purpose: Hot flashes are a common and troublesome side effect of surgery or endocrine therapy. They may lead to physical and psychological distress and negatively affect quality of life. This clinical practice guideline presents evidence-based recommendations for pharmacologic, behavioral, and natural health product interventions for treatment-related hot flashes in patients with breast or prostate cancer.
Methodologic approach: An interprofessional panel of healthcare professionals with patient representation prioritized clinical questions and patient outcomes for the management of hot flashes. Systematic reviews of the literature were conducted. The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach was used to assess the evidence and make recommendations.
Findings: The panel agreed on 14 pharmacologic, behavioral, and natural health recommendations.
Implications for nursing: Conditional recommendations include the use of antidepressants rather than no treatment, physical activity rather than no treatment, and the avoidance of gabapentin and dietary supplements in the treatment of hot flashes.
Supplementary material can be found at https: //onf.ons.org/ons-guidelines-hot-flashes-supplementary-material.
Keywords: antidepressants; breast cancer; hot flashes; prostate cancer; symptom management.