Citalopram in Treating Postmenopausal Women With Hot Flashes

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Must meet 1 of the following criteria:

  * History of breast cancer

    * No current malignant disease
  * No history of breast cancer and refused estrogen replacement therapy due to perceived increased risk of breast cancer
* Bothersome hot flashes, defined as hot flashes ≥ 14 times/week and of sufficient severity to make the patient desire therapeutic intervention
* Presence of hot flashes ≥ 1 month prior to study entry
* Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Female
* Postmenopausal, as defined by 1 of the following criteria:

  * Absence of a menstrual period in the past 12 months
  * Bilateral oophorectomy
  * Absence of a menstrual period in the past 6 months with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level \> 40 mIU/mL
* ECOG performance status 0-1
* Life expectancy ≥ 6 months
* Willing to provide blood samples during study participation
* No history of allergic or other adverse reactions to citalopram hydrobromide or other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
* No documented mania or hypomania

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* At least 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent antineoplastic chemotherapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent androgens, estrogens, or progestational agents
* At least 3 months since prior antidepressant use, including Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
* Concurrent tamoxifen, raloxifene, or aromatase inhibitors allowed if on a constant dose for ≥ 4 weeks and continuing medication during study period
* No other concurrent or planned agents for treating hot flashes (e.g., phenobarbital, megestrol, or clonidine)

  * Stable dose of vitamin E allowed as long as it was started \> 30 days prior to study entry
* Concurrent soy allowed
* Concurrent gabapentin allowed for reasons other than hot flashes if on a constant dose for ≥ 1 month and continuing during study period