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Laser Therapy Following Radiotherapy for Gynecological Cancer

Not Applicable
Conditions
Dyspareunia
Pelvic Radiotherapy
Gynecological Cancer
Vaginal Dryness
Interventions
Device: Microablative Fractional CO2 Laser Therapy
Registration Number
NCT03714581
Lead Sponsor
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Brief Summary

Women with a history of pelvic radiotherapy due to gynecological cancer, will receive laser therapy for the management of genitourinary syndrome of menopause.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
112
Inclusion Criteria
  • History of gynecological cancer treated with pelvic radiotherapy
  • last radiotherapy >1 year
  • women sexually active or willing to resume sexual activity
  • symptoms of dyspareunia, vaginal dryness, itching/burning and vaginal bleeding related to sexual intercourse
Exclusion Criteria
  • Relapse of gynecological cancer
  • prolapse stage >1
  • active genital infection (i.e herpes, vaginitis)
  • underlying pathologies that could interfere with patients compliance to the protocol (i.e any psychiatric condition)

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PlaceboMicroablative Fractional CO2 Laser TherapyPlacebo therapy (The parameters that will be used are the following: 1) Power: 0.5 watts, 2) Dwell time:1000μs, 3) Spacing 1000 μm, 4) Depth: SmartStak parameter 1, 5) Smart-pulse mode.
LaserMicroablative Fractional CO2 Laser TherapyMicroablative Fractional CO2 Laser Therapy (The parameters that will be used are the following: 1) Power: 30 ή 40 watts, 2) Dwell time:1000μs, 3) Spacing 1000 μm, 4) Depth: SmartStak parameter from 1-3 depending on the treatment status, 5) D-pulse mode.)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
10-centimeter Visual Analogue Scale assessing intensity of dyspareunia and drynessChange from baseline at 1 month post-treatment

It is a straight line with 2 endpoints "0" and "10". Zero defines "no dyspareunia at all" and "no dryness at all" , while 10 "dyspareunia as bad as it could be" and "dryness as bad as it could be". Participants will draw a line at or between the 2 end points. The distance between zero and drawn line will define the intensity of dyspareunia and dryness

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Day-to Day Impact of vaginal aging questionnaire (DIVA)Change from baseline at 1 month post-treatment

It includes 4 domains: activities of daily living (5 items), sexual functioning (5 items), emotional well-being (4 items), self-concept and body image (5-items). Each item of each domain could receive values from 0 to 4. Mean scores are calculated on each of the domain scales. Higher scores indicate greater symptom impact

The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life questionnaire (QLQ) cervical cancer module (CX24)Change from baseline Quality of Life questionnaire (QLQ) cervical cancer module (CX24) at 1-month post-treatment

It includes 4 functional scales (body image, sexual activity, sexual enjoyment, sexual/vaginal functioning) with 9 items and 5 symptoms scales (symptoms experience, lymphedema, peripheral neuropathy, menopausal symptoms and sexual worry) with 15 items. Each item range from 1 to 4. Higher scores in sexual activity and sexual enjoyment indicate better functioning, while higher scores in all other domains indicate higher impact of cervical cancer

International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form/Female Lower Urinary tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS)Change from baseline International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form/Female Lower Urinary tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS) at 1-month post-treatment

It is a 12-items questionnaire evaluating nocturia, urgency, bladder pain, frequency, hesitancy, straining, intermittency, urinary incontinence (urge, stress and unexplained), frequency of urinary incontinence and nocturnal enuresis. Filling, voiding and incontinence symptoms subscales range from 0 to 15, 0 to 12 and 0 to 20, respectively.

Vaginal Health Index ScoreChange from baseline Vaginal Health Index Score at 1-month post-treatment

It evaluates vaginal elasticity, fluid volume, ph of vaginal fluid, epithelial integrity and moisture. Each one of these may receive scores from 1 to 5. Total score is calculated by summing the 5 scores ranging from 5 to 25. Higher scores indicate better vaginal status.

3 days voiding diaryChange from baseline at 1 month post-treatment

Assesses frequency of urination, amount of urine, presence of urgency and/or urinary incontinence and amount of fluid intake

Patients Global Impression of ImprovementAt 1-month post-treatment

It is a single item questionnaire assessing the impression of participants following the intervention

King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ)Change from baseline King's Health Questionnaire at 1-month post-treatment

It has 3 sections: 1) general health and overall health related to urinary symptoms with 2 questions, 2) incontinence impact, role limitations, physical limitations, social limitations, personal limitations, emotions, sleep and energy, and severity coping measures with 19 questions and 3) bother or impact of urinary symptoms with 11 questions. Scores of each domain of the 2 sections range from 0 to 100. Scores of the third section range from 0 to 3. Higher scores indicate higher impact of urinary incontinence.

Female Sexual Function IndexChange from baseline Female Sexual Function Index at 1-month post-treatment

It includes 6 domains assessing sexual functioning (desire, arousal, orgasm, lubrication, satisfaction and pain). Total score is calculated by summing scores of the 5 domains multiplied by certain factors with a minimum value of 2 and maximum 36

Partner Performance QuestionnaireChange from baseline Partner Performance Questionnaire at 1-month post-treatment

It evaluates aspects of sexual satisfaction of cancer survivors partners

Vaginal Maturation ValueChange from baseline Vaginal Maturation Value at 1-month post-treatment

It is calculated by defining the percentage of superficial, intermediate and parabasal epithelial cells on the vaginal pap smear, following the formula (1x%superficial)+(0.5x%intermediate)+(0x%parabasal). It may receive values from 0 to 100%.It is considered to be an indicator of the estrogenic stimulation, whereas values of 0-49%, 50-64% and 65-100% indicate absent/low, moderate and high estrogenic effect on the vaginal epithelium, respectively.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Urogynecological Unit of Alexandra Hospital

🇬🇷

Athens, Greece

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