Carle Clinic, in conjunction with the North Central Cancer Treatment Group led by Mayo Clinic, is now offering a research study for women seeking to alleviate this common condition. The study involves the investigational use of Pregabalin, a medication currently used to treat nerve pain. Women experiencing more than 28 hot flashes per week for at least one month are eligible for the trial.

Women with a history of breast cancer may be interested in this study, as chemotherapy and other drugs can deplete estrogen and cause early menopause or increase symptoms such as hot flashes. Those seeking to avoid estrogen therapy for fear of increased risk of breast cancer may also want to participate.

“This research program is a great opportunity for those women with hot flashes not wishing to take estrogen,” said Kendrith Rowland, MD, principal investigator of Oncology Research at Carle Clinic. “It is a safe non-hormonal drug proven effective for men with hot flashes resulting from hormone suppression for prostate cancer and it will likely work for women with hot flashes as well.”

To learn more about this research study and others available at Carle Clinic, call (217) 383-3516 or go online to www.carle-clinic.com/research.