Originally published as JCO Early Release 10.1200/JCO.2008.16.6389 on September 22 2008

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Randomized Trial of a Hypnosis Intervention for Treatment of Hot Flashes Among Breast Cancer Survivors

Gary Elkins, Joel Marcus, Vered Stearns, Michelle Perfect, M. Hasan Rajab, Christopher Ruud, Lynne Palamara, Timothy Keith

From the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco; Scott and White Memorial Hospital and Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Temple; Cancer Treatment and Research Center, San Antonio; and University of Texas at Austin, TX; University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ; and the Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

Corresponding author: Gary R. Elkins, PhD, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, PO Box 97334, Waco, Texas 76798; e-mail: Gary_Elkins{at}baylor.edu

Purpose Hot flashes are a significant problem for many breast cancer survivors. Hot flashes can cause discomfort, disrupted sleep, anxiety, and decreased quality of life. A well-tolerated and effective mind-body treatment for hot flashes would be of great value. On the basis of previous case studies, this study was developed to evaluate the effect of a hypnosis intervention for hot flashes.

Patients and Methods Sixty female breast cancer survivors with hot flashes were randomly assigned to receive hypnosis intervention (five weekly sessions) or no treatment. Eligible patients had to have a history of primary breast cancer without evidence of detectable disease and 14 or more weekly hot flashes for at least 1 month. The major outcome measure was a bivariate construct that represented hot flash frequency and hot flash score, which was analyzed by a classic sums and differences comparison. Secondary outcome measures were self-reports of interference of hot flashes on daily activities.

Results Fifty-one randomly assigned women completed the study. By the end of the treatment period, hot flash scores (frequency x average severity) decreased 68% from baseline to end point in the hypnosis arm (P < .001). Significant improvements in self-reported anxiety, depression, interference of hot flashes on daily activities, and sleep were observed for patients who received the hypnosis intervention (P < .005) in comparison to the no treatment control group.

Conclusion Hypnosis appears to reduce perceived hot flashes in breast cancer survivors and may have additional benefits such as reduced anxiety and depression, and improved sleep.

Supported by Grant No. 1R21 CA100594-01 from the National Cancer Institute and Grant No. U01 AT004634-02 from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Presented at the 4th Annual Meeting of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, January 29, 2007, Austin, TX.

Authors’ disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and author contributions are found at the end of this article.

Clinical trial information can be found for the following: 1R21 CA100594 [GenBank] -01.

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