Women commonly experience menopausal symptoms including vasomotor symptoms (VMS) e.g. hot flashes whilst on adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) after breast cancer. VMS treatment options are limited in this population. The REAL-world evIdence on vasomotor and other Symptoms in menopausal womEn (REALISE) study aimed to evaluate VMS treatment status and symptom burden in women taking AET after breast cancer.
The 2020 Adelphi VMS Disease Specific Programme™, a large, cross-sectional survey-based dataset was conducted between February - October in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United States, and United Kingdom. Oncologists (n=77) provided demographic, clinical, and treatment status data on adult women in breast cancer remission taking AET and experiencing VMS; patients were then asked to complete a voluntary self-report form including symptoms and the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life tool. Patients were stratified into treated (currently receiving VMS treatment) and untreated (never received treatment) groups. Analyses were descriptive.
Of the 183 women providing self-report data (mean age 54.1 years [SD 9.9]; mean age at onset of induced menopause 48.8 years [SD 10.0]; 84.7% white), 54.1% were treated (69.7% with SSRI/SNRI), with median treatment duration of 34.8 weeks (IQR 26.1, 52.1); and 40.4% were untreated. Patients reported HF (92.2%), sweating (67.6%), difficulty sleeping (64.8%), anergia (56.4%), and mood symptoms (55.9%) most commonly over the prior week. Reporting of HF (treated: 95.8%; untreated: 89.2%), difficulty sleeping (65.6%; 63.5%), and mood symptoms (60.4%; 48.7%) was consistent regardless of treatment status. Patients in both groups reported moderate to severe bother of HF (treated: 47.9%; untreated: 27.4%), mood symptoms (22.9%; 24.3%), and sleep difficulties (25.3%; 27.4%, respectively).
Women in breast cancer remission receiving AET experienced a high VMS and concomitant symptom burden, yet 40.4% were not receiving treatment. Patients reported feelings of bother in relation to their VMS, mood and sleep over the last week regardless of treatment status, showing a need for new more effective treatment options for this underserved group.
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Bayer AG.
Bayer AG.
M. Scott, M. Harvey: Financial Interests, Personal, Full or part-time Employment: Adelphi Real World. N. Schoof, S. Su Saydam, C. Moeller: Financial Interests, Personal, Full or part-time Employment: Bayer AG. C. Caetano, C. Janssenswillen: Financial Interests, Personal, Full or part-time Employment: Bayer Consumer Care. V.L. Banks: Financial Interests, Personal, Full or part-time Employment: Bayer UK.