Neoplasms

Urinary Tract, Sexual Organs, and Pregnancy Conditions

All Conditions

Symptoms and General Pathology

Behaviors and Mental Disorders

Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Constriction, Pathologic

Pelvic Neoplasms

Quality of Life

The self-questionnaire of 104 questions collected personal and socio-demographics data, global and sexual quality of life characteristics (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer \[EORTC\] quality of life questionnaires: QLQ-C30 and gynecologic and cervical cancer specific-questionnaire QLQ-CX24), vaginal dilatators and moisturizers use, and barriers and facilitators of their use. Clinical data were extracted from the patients' medical files. Vaginal stenosis was evaluated at 6 weeks after the end of brachytherapy and after 1-year follow-up by in-town gynecologists or in our Institute, and censored in case of complete vaginal obliteration

Questionnaires

Christine KERR, MD

Gynecologic cancer treatments (chemoradiotherapy, brachytherapy and surgery) greatly impact patients' sexual quality of life (QoL). Use of the vaginal dilators may reduce vaginal stenosis. Since 2011, our "Gyn and Co LR" patient education program aims to optimize early care of sexual disorders following treatment of cervical and endometrial cancer.

Pelvic cancer accounts for 38,000 cancer cases in France; among them, 15,500 are gynecologic, i.e. endometrial, ovarian, cervical, vaginal and vulval. In 2017, 8,367 new endometrial cancer cases were reported in France1. Endometrial cancer mostly affects women who already underwent menopause; indeed, the median age at diagnosis is 68 years. Cervical cancer is less frequent, with 2,835 new cases reported in France in 2017, but affects younger women. The incidence peak is reported at 40 years, with a median age at death of around 50 years.

The standard of care for cervical cancer combines chemoradiotherapy with utero-vaginal brachytherapy, followed or not with surgery. For endometrial cancer, post-operative vaginal brachytherapy is recommended for intermediate-risk tumors or following radiotherapy for high-risk patients. However, in both cancer localizations, the combination of external radiation and brachytherapy induces numerous adverse effects affecting the patients' overall and sexual quality of life. Digestive, urinary and sexual disorders reported include abdominal pain, incontinence, cystitis, dyspareunia, vaginal irritation, pain during intercourse. A major adverse effect reported is reduction of vaginal elasticity together with vaginal shrinking (shorter and tighter vagina), up to vaginal stenosis. The EMBRACE study showed in 630 patients with locally-advanced cervical cancer a grade ≥ 2 vaginal stenosis rate of 21% at 2 years. A study reported that among sexually active women, 54% were not satisfied or little satisfied with their sexual activity; about 50% women also reported vaginal dryness and more than 40% pain during penetration. The EMBRACE study reported in locally-advanced cervical cancer patients the persistence of treatment-related symptoms, diarrhea, menopausal symptoms, peripheral neuropathy and sexual functioning problems two years after diagnosis. Vaginal dryness, hot flashes and pain at penetration were reported up to 5 to 10 years after diagnosis in cancer survivors as compared with controls in a case-control study. In endometrial cancer patients, a long-term analysis of the PORTEC-2 study reported vaginal dryness, short or narrow vagina and pain during intercourse at 7 years after treatment.

Studies in psycho-oncology or nursing care have assessed the impact of these disorders and are bringing up some solutions, among which use of vaginal dilators to prevent vaginal stenosis and improve sexual quality of life. International guidelines were issued on the use of vaginal dilators by these patients. Both guidelines and studies assessing patient education interventions to increase the patients' use of the vaginal dilators concluded on the possible benefit of educational programs stenosis prevention. Some programs well integrated in the patients' care pathway have been published. Early interventions starting as soon as the disease announcement consult with the radiation oncologist are still needed to improve vaginal stenosis prevention and the patients' sexual quality of life.

In this context, the investigator have initiated, for the first time in France, the "Gyn and Co LR" patient education program, approved by the Regional Health Agency. This program, fully integrated in the patients' care pathway, aimed to optimize an early care of sexual disorders and prevent vaginal stenosis in patients treated with brachytherapy for cervical or endometrial cancer.

Sexual Quality of Life of Patients With Gynecologic Cancer Treated With Brachytherapy.

Vaginal Dilatators and Moisturizers Use and Sexual Quality of Life of Patients With Gynecologic Cancer Treated With Brachytherapy.

Quality of life questionnaire: EORTC-QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-CX24

Clinical data from the patient medical file

Sexual quality of life questionnaire:EORTC QLQ-CX24

Study title	NCT ID	Conditions	Interventions	Eligibility	Organization	Link
Sexual Quality of Life of Patients With Gynecologic Cancer Treated With Brachytherapy.	NCT04184154	Pelvic Cancer Cervical Cancer	Questionnaires	18 Years -	Institut du Cancer de Montpellier - Val d'Aurelle
Sexual Quality of Life of Patients With Gynecologic Cancer Treated With Brachytherapy.	NCT04184154	Pelvic Cancer Cervical Cancer	Questionnaires	18 Years -	Institut du Cancer de Montpellier - Val d'Aurelle

Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for cervical and endometrial cancer