Can exercise reduce hot flushes associated with breast cancer?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Can exercise training reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes associated with breast cancer treatment?
IRAS ID
200281
Contact name
Helen Jones
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 1 days
Research summary
Breast cancer treatment alters the production of oestrogen and can also bring about the menopause, often with more and severe symptoms compared to the natural menopause. Hot flushes associated with breast cancer treatment negatively affect quality of life and are extremely debilitating. During a hot flush, there is a rapid and intense feeling of heat, reddening of skin and lots of sweating. These changes are like those seen during 30 minutes of vigorous bicycling exercise or 60 minutes of being in a very hot room. There are few drug or alternative treatment options to help alleviate hot flushes associated with breast cancer. Exercise has shown promise in reducing hot flush number and severity in post-menopausal women. In our preliminary study, we found that exercise training improves the control of body temperature and blood flow in skin, larger blood vessels, and in the brains of post-menopausal women with a history of hot flushes. Exercise training also reduced the amount of skin reddening and sweating that occurred during a hot flush. Using this information, we now would like to see if exercise training works for breast cancer related hot flushes. We predict that our programme of exercise can improve sweating and skin blood flow responses and therefore reduce the number and severity of hot flushes, thereby improving the quality of life of women living with the long-term consequences of breast cancer.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NW/0166
Date of REC Opinion
26 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion