Most men receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer experience hot flushes. Hot flushes cause discomfort and embarrassment, interrupt sleep, represent an unwelcome reminder of the prostate cancer diagnosis, and are reported to be an important mediator of ADT-associated decrements in self-reported quality of life. There are a range of commonly used treatments for ADT-induced hot flushes, but most have low efficacy, or limited evidence of efficacy.
Physiological evidence suggests that oestradiol withdrawal is the predominant cause of ADT-induced hot flushes, as is the case for hot flushes in perimenopausal women. In a 28-day pilot trial, transdermal oestradiol gel reduced hot flush frequency-severity scores in men receiving ADT for prostate cancer.
This paper reports the results of a 6-month randomised controlled trial in a new cohort of 78 men undergoing ADT for prostate cancer, hypothesising that this treatment would reduce hot flushes and thereby improve self-rated quality of life. Results will be discussed in detail.