Hot flashes and night sweats in women with breast cancer: Prevalence and severity of symptoms.

Abstract

12053 Background: Hot flashes(HF) and night sweats(NS) are common endocrine-related symptoms experienced by breast cancer patients, which potentially arise from the tumor or treatment-related pharmacologic effects. They can significantly diminish patients' quality of life. However, there is a paucity of studies in China investigating the incidence and characteristics of HF and NS among patients with breast cancer. Methods: This study was a multi-center, cross-sectional survey that included women diagnosed with breast cancer from seven hospitals' oncology departments in China. Information was collected about demographic characteristics, psychological status (the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Distress Thermometer), the frequency and severity of HF and NS(modified Hot Flash and Night Sweat scale), and patients' perceptions of these symptoms. Group differences based on the presence or absence of HF and NS were analyzed using t-tests or chi-square tests. Finally, univariate analyses was conducted to explore factors associated with the frequency of HF and NS. Results: Between October and November 2024, 960 questionnaires were distributed, and 767 Chinese female breast cancer patients(aged 25 to 79 ) replied and completed fully. Over 56% (n = 430) patients reported experiencing HF or NS.The average weekly frequency was 8.6 times for HF and 7.3 times for NS. Patients attributed HF and NS primarily to treatment (HF:36.8%;NS:32.7%) or uncertain causes (HF:15.8%;NS:17.4%). Compared to patients without HF and NS, those experiencing the symptoms had significantly higher levels of anxiety (p < 0.001), depression (p = 0.019), and psychological distress (p < 0.001). Notably, Patients reported severity, distress, and impact on life scores above 4, with HF at 47.90%, 37.46%, and 35.89%, and NS at 49.67%, 43.46%, and 40.85%, respectively. Among those affected, 59.24% of patients with HF and 63.7% of patients with NS adopted coping strategies, primarily resting/lying down (HF:27.7%;NS:36.3%). Regarding coping ability, HF group had a significant higher score than NS group (HF: 5.90; NS: 5.30, p = 0.012). Furthermore, univariate analysis revealed that HF and NS were associated with distress(HF:p = 0.032; NS:p = 0.030) and sleep quality(HF:p = 0.031; NS: p = 0.043). Additionally, for HF, single marital status (p = 0.017) was identified as a relevant factor, while stage IV tumor status (p = 0.044) was associated with NS. Conclusions: HF and NS affect over half of Chinese breast cancer patients, impacting their mental well-being and life quality, while low coping ability and limited coping strategies further underscore the need for healthcare professionals to pay closer attention to patients experiencing these symptoms, particularly single individuals and those with advanced-stage breast cancer.