Health Canada has approved elinzanetant, sold as Lynkuet, to treat moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats in breast cancer patients. The decision expands the drug’s use beyond menopause-related symptoms after another study confirmed its effectiveness for those experiencing side effects from estrogen-suppressing treatments.
The need for this option is clear.
About two-thirds of breast cancers depend on estrogen to grow. Oncologists prescribe treatments like tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors to block hormone production. These therapies effectively fight cancer but often cause hot flashes and night sweats that can last for years.
Dr. Christine Brezden-Masley, medical director of the cancer program at Sinai Health in Toronto, said patients have had few ways to manage these side effects. Hormone replacement therapy, a standard solution for menopausal women, isn’t safe for breast cancer patients. Instead, doctors have used off-label drugs like the anticonvulsant gabapentin or the antidepressant Effexor, which provide only partial relief.
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“We’ve been using older drugs that offer some benefit,” she said. Brezden-Masley, who consults for Bayer, the manufacturer of elinzanetant, added that some patients stop taking their cancer medication to avoid the symptoms, a risky decision.
The drug works differently from traditional treatments. It is a non-hormonal medication that reduces symptoms by directly targeting neurons that can become hyperactive with a lack of estrogen. Dr. Brezden-Masley noted that the clinical trial with elinzanetant was the first to specifically look at breast cancer patients on anti-estrogen therapy.
Breast cancer patients generally have to stay on anti-estrogen pills—also called endocrine therapy—for about five to 10 years. Chemotherapy can also put patients into menopause by stopping the ovaries from working. Hot flashes and night sweats interfere with women’s ability to function during the day and interrupt their sleep at night.
Dr. Dave Cescon, a medical oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, called the approval important, noting that these symptoms in breast cancer patients have long been neglected.
Laurie Legere, a 47-year-old hospital administrator in Toronto, started having hot flashes after chemotherapy for breast cancer at 44. The symptoms disrupted her work and sleep, continuing even after she began endocrine therapy to prevent recurrence.
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“I’d get hot flashes in the middle of meetings,” she said. “The sleep disruption was the hardest part because you’re trying to recover.”
Legere tried gabapentin but stopped due to grogginess. She has now been prescribed elinzanetant. “I’m hoping for a better experience.”
A Bayer spokesperson said the drug isn’t publicly funded in Canada and didn’t share the price. The company’s earlier approval for menopause symptoms, granted in July 2025, excluded breast cancer patients until this update.
Access remains a concern. Without coverage, patients may struggle to afford the treatment, limiting its impact.
