Flaxseed for the Treatment of Hot Flashes

Phase II Evaluation of Flaxseed for the Treatment of Hot Flashes

Flaxseed, a phytoestrogen, is a natural food supplement rich in plant ligands, which have a very weak estrogen effect. In this study, flaxseed is being evaluated in regard to its capacity to safely and effectively treat hot flashes. Specifically, this study seeks to determine if flaxseed will lower the number and severity of hot flashes and if women experience any side effects from taking flaxseed for this purpose.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hot Flashes
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Flaxseed

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
      • Mayo Clinic

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusionary Criteria:

• Age greater than or equal to 18 years
• Women with a history of breast cancer (currently without malignant disease) or women who have no history of breast cancer but who wish to avoid estrogen due to a perceived increased risk of breast cancer.
• Bothersome hot flashes (defined by occurenece of greater than or equal to 14 times per week and of sufficient severity to make the patient desire therapeutic intervention).
• Presence of hot flashes for greater than or equal to 1 month prior to study entry.
• Life expectancy greater than or equal to 6 months.
• ECOG Performance Status (PS) 0 or 1 (see Appendix VIII)

Exclusionary Criteria/Contraindications

• Any of the following current (less than or equal to 4 weeks) or planned therapies (tamoxifen, raloxifene, or aromatase inhibitors are allowed, but patient must have been on a constant dose for greater than or equal to 4 weeks and must not be expected to stop the medication during the study period): antineoplastic chemotherapy, androgens, estrogens, progestational agents, other herbal supplements, including soy (herbal teas from a grocery store are allowed), warfarin (1 mg of daily warfarin is allowed for central line patency)
• History of allergic or other adverse reaction to flaxseed, wheat, nuts, lactose, and/or certain spices
• Current or planned use of other agents for treating hot flashes (except stable dose of vitamine E or antidepressants are allowed as long as they wre started >30 days prior to study initiation and are to be continued through the study period).
• Diabetes (as flaxseed can lower blood glucose levels and might have additive effects when used with antidiabetic drugs).
• Diagnosis of/problems with chronic diarrhea or history of bowel obstruction or esophageal stricture.
• Any of the following: pregnant women, nursing women, women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception
• Current use of anticoagulants including aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), ticlopidine (Ticlic), and coumadin (1 mg of dialy coumadin is allowed for central line patency).
• Diagnosis of/problems with von Willebrand's disease or other bleeding disorders.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Determine if flaxseed will lower the number and severity of hot flashes
Determine if there are any side effects from taking flaxseed for hot flashes
Evaluate the impact of flaxseed on hot flash scores in women with a history of breast cancer or women who do not wish to take estrogen therapy for fear of increased risk of breast cancer.
Evaluate the toxicity of flaxseed in this study population.
Evaluate the effect of flaxseed on quality-of-life measures.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Mayo Clinic
• Collaborators: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., Mayo Clinic

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: May 1, 2005
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 10, 2006
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 10, 2006
• First Posted (Estimate): January 12, 2006

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): June 10, 2011
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 9, 2011
• Last Verified: June 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Hot Flashes
• Other Study ID Numbers: MC04C9 (Other Identifier: Mayo Clinic Cancer Center); 247-05 (Other Identifier: Mayo Clinic IRB)