Women with a history of breast cancer tend to have more severe and frequent vasomotor symptoms than the general population. Numerous studies have shown that vasomotor symptoms (VMS) are the most frequent adverse event of adjuvant therapy, and that up to 20% of breast cancer patients consider discontinuing treatment because of these symptoms, despite their benefit in the reduction of recurrence. While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is regularly used in healthy women to treat VMS, it is contraindicated in patients with history of breast cancer. There are few clinical data on non-pharmacological interventions, and the role of alternative and complementary therapies remains controversial. The review of the literature reveals that these pharmacological agents, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (IRSs), antihypertensives and anticon...

Vasomotor symptoms affect a large number of women in the peri and post menopause with significant impact on quality of life; the duration of these symptoms is uncertain and often prolonged. Although menopausal hormone therapy is the most effective treatment for climacteric symptoms, there are some contraindications for its use. Therefore, it is mandatory to offer other treatment strategies for women with contraindication to hormonal treatment. We have a wide range of non-hormonal options available, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Among the latter, we include alternative or natural therapies (isoflavones and cimicifuga racemosa), lifestyle changes, and complementary therapies. Alternative therapies show controversial results regarding effectiveness on climacteric symptoms, and their mechanism of action involves estrogen receptors; they are contraindicated in patients with a ...