Health Canada Approves Drug to Alleviate Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Patients

Health Canada has authorized Elinzanetant, a drug manufactured by Bayer, to treat moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats in breast cancer patients. The new market authorization took effect on Friday, following a study that demonstrated the drug's effectiveness specifically for this patient group. About two-thirds of breast cancers are hormone-receptor positive, making them dependent on estrogen for growth. Oncologists treat these cancers by blocking estrogen production, which often triggers vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Elinzanetant is a non-hormonal medication that targets neurons affected by the lack of estrogen to reduce these symptoms. Dr. Christine Brezden-Masley, medical director of the cancer program at Sinai Health in Toronto, noted that breast cancer patients have limited options for managing hot flashes and night sweats due to their inability to take hormone replacement therapy. The most commonly used anti-estrogen medications are tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. Hot flashes and night sweats can be debilitating, causing some patients to stop taking their cancer medication. Elinzanetant has been shown to provide relief for these symptoms in clinical trials, and its approval by Health Canada is expected to be beneficial for many breast cancer patients.