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In a 3-month trial, the oral progestational agent megestrol acetate (MA) was highly effective for treating vasomotor symptoms in breast cancer survivors. Now, investigators have assessed the efficacy of two MA doses (20 mg or 40 mg, once daily) during a 6-month placebo-controlled trial in 286 women (age range, 35–82) with nonmetastatic breast cancer who had completed initial surgery and chemotherapy and who reported frequent hot flashes. More than three quarters of participants were taking tamoxifen. Treatment success was defined as ≥75% reduction from baseline in reported hot-flash frequency.
At 3 months, treatment was successful in 14%, 65%, and 48% of women assigned to placebo, MA 20 mg, and MA 40 mg, respectively (P<0.0001 for either MA …