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Sleep aids for breast cancer patients?

Page last modified on: November 20, 2008
Question from Beth: I have a very difficult time sleeping through the night due to side effects of treatment and my worries. Are there any sleeping aids that were discussed specifically for breast cancer patients?
Answer —Generosa Grana, M.D., F.A.C.P.: A variety of sleeping aids are used for women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. None of them are specific to women with breast cancer. The important factor is to recognize when sleep difficulty may be due to menopausal effects, i.e., insomnia might be caused by night sweats that are due to the onset of menopause. If this is the case, treatment of menopausal symptoms with compounds such as clonidine (brand name: Catapres), Neurontin (chemical name: gabapentin), or the SSRIs may be beneficial rather than just focusing on standard sleep aids.

On Wednesday, June 20, 2007, the Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Updates from the 2008 ASCO Annual Meeting. Generosa Grana, M.D., F.A.C.P. and moderator Nicholas Robert, M.D. answered your questions about the latest news on breast cancer screening, treatment, and side effects reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Generosa Grana, M.D., F.A.C.PGenerosa Grana, M.D., F.A.C.P. is the director of the Cooper Cancer Institute and heads the division of hematology/medical oncology at Cooper University Hospital.

Nicholas Robert, M.D.Nicholas Robert, M.D. is a co-chair of the Breast Committee of the U.S. Oncology Research Network and also chairs the Cancer Committee and Research Committee of the Inova Fairfax Hospital's Cancer Center. 

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