The side effects of ADT may be debilitating and cause patients to stop ADT treatment (Crawford et al., 2019).Ī hot flash is the intense sensation of heat accompanied by diaphoresis and flushing. ADT-associated side effects are well documented and include loss of libido, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, enlarged breasts, anemia, osteoporosis, mood symptoms, and hot flashes (Siddiqui & Krauss, 2018). Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the first line of treatment for advanced-stage prostate cancer and can be administered before, during, or after radiation therapy (Nevedomskaya, Baumgart, & Haendler, 2018). With an estimated 165,000 new individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018, 98.2% are expected to live for at least five years after diagnosis (National Cancer Institute, n.d.). More than 3 million men are living with or have survived prostate cancer. Future RCTs should be sufficiently powered, include a control group, and use standardized outcome measures. Implications for Research: Evidence is insufficient to support interventions for ADT-associated hot flashes in men with prostate cancer. Acupuncture demonstrated potential benefit in reducing hot flashes without side effects. Synthesis: Pharmacologic interventions (e.g., cyproterone, medroxyprogesterone, megestrol acetate) showed some promise for reducing hot flashes but were associated with side effects and risks. Literature Search: The CINAHL®, Embase®, PsycINFO®, PubMed®, and Scopus® databases were used to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasiexperimental studies published between January 1994 and June 2018.ĭata Evaluation: Using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, the authors reviewed 15 studies examining the effects of pharmacologic or complementary and alternative medicine interventions on ADT-associated hot flashes in men with prostate cancer.

Problem Identification: To determine best practices for managing hot flashes associated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in men with prostate cancer.

Hot flashes in men