Gabapentin With or Without Antidepressants in Treating Hot Flashes in Women Who Have Had Breast Cancer or Have Concerns About Taking Hormone Therapy

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •History of breast cancer OR a concern about taking hormonal therapy due to a fear of developing breast cancer
• •Experiencing bothersome hot flashes, defined as patient-reported occurrence ≥ 14 times per week AND sufficiently severe to prompt desire for additional therapeutic intervention despite current use of an antidepressant
• •* Currently (≥ 2 weeks) being treated with a stable dose of an antidepressant
• •* No monoamine oxidase inhibitors or tricyclics
• •No current evidence of malignant disease
• •Hormone receptor status:
• •* Not specified
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age
• •18 and over
• •Sex
• •Female
• •Performance status
• •ECOG 0-1
• •Life expectancy
• •At least 6 months
• •Other
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Chemotherapy
• •More than 4 weeks since prior antineoplastic chemotherapy
• •No concurrent antineoplastic chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy
• •More than 4 weeks since prior androgens, estrogens, or progestational agents
• •More than 2 weeks since prior dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) for treatment of hot flashes
• •No concurrent androgens, estrogens, or progestational agents, including oral contraceptives
• •No concurrent DHEA for treatment of hot flashes
• •Concurrent tamoxifen, raloxifene, or aromatase inhibitor therapy allowed if on a stable dose for at least 4 weeks prior to study entry and during study treatment
• •Other
• •No prior gabapentin
• •More than 2 weeks since other prior treatment for hot flashes (e.g., clonidine or Bellergal-S®)
• •Concurrent vitamin E or soy supplements allowed if on a stable dose for at least 1 month prior to study entry and during study treatment
• •No other concurrent treatment for hot flashes (e.g., clonidine or Bellergal-S®)
• •No other concurrent antidepressants