Effects of Stellate Ganglion Block on Hot Flashes in Hispanic Women With Breast Cancer

Overview

Vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, VMS) affect up to 65% of breast cancer survivors and negatively impact their quality of life. VMS in Hispanic women are significantly more severe as compared to non-Hispanic Caucasian women. Few effective treatments for VMS are available, especially in the underserved Hispanic and Spanish-speaking populations which is problematic, as Hispanics will comprise 20% of the U.S. population by 2025. Stellate ganglion nerve block (SGB) with local anesthetic, previously performed for chronic pain indications, has shown promise as a potential treatment for menopausal women with VMS in previous clinical trials, but has not been investigated in Hispanic or Spanish-Speaking women with breast cancer in a controlled study.

In this study, investigators aim to assess the effects of SGB on VMS, sympathetic nervous system activity, depression and sleep in Hispanic and Spanish-Speaking women with breast cancer on endocrine therapy who take tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) or SERMS, in a prospective, randomized, sham-controlled pilot study. Project Hypothesis: The frequency and intensity of subjective and objective VMS will be significantly lower in women randomized to active SGB as compared to sham control. Project Scope: Hispanic and Spanish-speaking women with breast cancer on tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors or SERMs with moderate to severe VMS will be enrolled as participants in this study. Eligible women will be specifically recruited from the oncology practice of Dr. Cesar Santa Maria, as well as Northwestern Memorial Hospital and other Northwestern affiliates. Specific Goals and Objectives: Goal 1: Determine the effect of stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) for reducing subjective and objective VMS in Hispanic women with breast cancer on endocrine therapy as this population is known to have a greater severity of VMS and has been notoriously underserved and understudied in the U.S. and in clinical trials. Goal 2: Evaluate the effect of SGB on the sympathetic nervous system over time to gain new knowledge on the physiologic mechanism of SGB effects on VMS. Goal 3: Evaluate the effect of SGB on mood, sleep, and quality of life in women with breast cancer on tamoxifen, AIs, or SERMs. Goal 4: Using the results of this pilot study, investigators plan to submit an R01 grant to the National Cancer Institute in 2017 for a larger scale study.