Professor Alex Molassiotis, of the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, says the herb - one of the mint family, found in any kitchen - is thought to stop the hot flushes and night sweats which can be so bad that some women have to change their clothes three or four times a night.
It is traditionally used by Mediterranean women undergoing the menopause, but Professor Molassiotis cannot name it as he and his team are carrying out a double blind trial (neither the patient nor the doctor is allowed to know whether they are in the group taking the herb or a placebo).
The women are taking hormone treatment to lower oestrogen and progesterone levels as these affect the growth of some breast cancer cells. This can lead to early or revisiting menopause with symptoms such as anxiety, dry skin, bone thinning and hot flushes, with some women having up to 30 flushes a day. It is too risky for them to take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) as this will increase the hormone levels again. Instead they are advised to cut out tea, coffee and nicotine, try alternative remedies or a certain type of anti-depressant.
Professor Molassiotis said: "It is hoped that the herbal remedy will be simpler and cheaper to take, as well as more effective, thus improving the lives of women who need all their energy to fight the disease."
He and his team are now recruiting 170 volunteers for the randomized trial, half of whom will take the phytooestrogen herb in the form of a pill and half of whom will take a placebo, from Greater Manchester and Cheshire. Only breast cancer patients who have or are receiving hormone treatments for their cancer are allowed to take part, and only if they experience at least one hot flush a day of moderate and above severity for at least a month. The treatment will be for a total of three months, taking one pill a day. The team will assess the volunteers' hot flushes four times over six months from starting the trial with questionnaires and a blood sample.
To take part in the trial, find out more about the study or see if you are eligible to participate, please contact Research Associate Dr Barbara Potrata on 0161 446 8550 or email barbara.potrata@christie-tr.nwest.nhs.uk.
For more information or to arrange an interview with Professor Alex Molassiotis contact Media Relations Officers Mikaela Sitford or Jo Nightingale on 0161 275 2111 or 8156.
Editors note:
The University of Manchester's School of Nursing developed the first nursing degree in England. It achieved 23 of a maximum 24 possible points in the latest Subject Review inspection by the Quality Assurance Agency, a score unrivalled by any institution of similar scale. During the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) in 2001, it was awarded a rank of 5 on a scale 0-5* meaning all our academics are producing work of international or national excellence. Professor Alex Molassiotis leads the Cancer, Supportive and Palliative Care programme, which falls into two broad themes; symptom experience and symptom management, and palliative care service provision. Here he also leads the Academic Nursing Research Unit at the Christie Hospital and focuses on symptom experience and symptom management.