Gabapentin For the Control of Hot Flashes in Women With Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVES:

Compare the effectiveness and side effects of 2 different doses of gabapentin vs placebo for the control of hot flashes and other vasomotor symptoms in women with breast cancer.
Compare quality of life, anxiety, and depression in patients treated with these regimens.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to participating center and duration of hot flash symptoms (less than 9 months vs 9 or more months). Patients are randomized to 1 of 3 arms.

Arm I: Patients receive oral placebo 3 times a day.
Arm II: Patients receive oral gabapentin at a low dose 3 times a day.
Arm III: Patients receive oral gabapentin as in arm II for 3 days and then at a high dose 3 times a day.

Treatment on all arms continues for 8 weeks in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. After week 8, patients may receive open-label gabapentin at the discretion of their physicians.

Hot flashes are assessed at baseline and then during weeks 3 and 7 of the study.

Quality of life, anxiety, and depression are assessed at baseline and then at weeks 4 and 8.

Patients are followed at week 12.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 408 patients (136 per arm) will be accrued for this study within 18 months.