This randomized pilot trial studies how well fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser therapy works in minimizing genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) in gynecological cancer survivors. Fractional CO2 laser therapy may reduce symptoms of GSM in survivors of gynecologic cancers.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To conduct a pilot trial to estimate the proportion of gynecologic cancer patients with vaginal dryness or dyspareunia, who will have an improvement in their symptoms with vaginal laser therapy compared to sham treatment based on the Vaginal Assessment Scale (VAS). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate toxicity associated with vaginal laser therapy in this population. II. To determine how many women with the defined patient eligibility will complete all treatments. III. To determine the feasibility of the crossover design for potential use in a phase III trial. IV. To determine improvement in objective findings of vaginal atrophy with vaginal laser therapy versus sham treatment. V. To determine improvement in sexual function as measured by Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS), and scales for sexual satisfaction and behavior with vaginal laser therapy versus sham treatment. VI. To determine improvement in urinary symptoms of urogenital atrophy with vaginal laser therapy versus sham treatment using the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI). VII. To demonstrate satisfaction with vaginal fractional CO2 laser therapy. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized in to 1 of 2 arms. ARM I: Patients undergo fractional CO2 laser therapy at 3 time points 30 days apart. ARM II: Patients undergo sham laser therapy at 3 time points 30 days apart. Patients may then crossover to Arm I. After completion of study, patients are followed up at 1 month.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
19
Undergo fractional CO2 laser therapy
Ancillary studies
Undergo sham laser therapy
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota, United States
Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center
Fargo, North Dakota, United States
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Change in genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) symptoms
Will be assessed by the Vaginal Assessment Scale (VAS). Will be summarized and compared between the treatment arms using a two-sample t-test or a Wilcoxon rank sum test, with a two-sided alternative for each. Will also analyze this endpoint graphically by plotting the VAS scores through time by treatment arm. Additionally, will correlate the scores from the VAS with other validated measures using a Spearman's correlation coefficient in an exploratory manner.
Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks
Feasibility as measured by number of patients able to complete 3 study visitis
A crossover design to determine the feasibility of the crossover design for potential use in a phase III trial by summarizing the proportion of patients who are unable to tolerate the study treatment prior to completing the 3 treatments
Time frame: Up to 1 month
Improvement in objective findings of vaginal atrophy
Will determine improvement in objective findings of vaginal atrophy with vaginal laser therapy versus sham treatment.
Time frame: Up to 1 month
Improvement in sexual function by FSFI
Will determine improvement in sexual function as measured by Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)
Time frame: Up to 1 year
Improvement in sexual function FSDS
Will determine improvement in sexual function as measured by Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS)
Time frame: Up to 1 year
Improvement in urinary symptoms
Will determine improvement in urinary symptoms of urogenital atrophy with vaginal laser therapy versus sham treatment using the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI). The change in dyspareunia and dryness between baseline (T0) and T4 will be calculated and compared between the treatment and sham arms using a two sample t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test.
Time frame: Up to 1 month
Incidence of adverse events
Adverse event grading will be done according to the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0 (CTCAE)
Time frame: Up to 1 month
Number of patients complete all treatments
Summarize the proportion of patients who are able to tolerate the study treatment and complete the 3 treatments.
Time frame: Up to 1 month
Satisfaction with vaginal fractional CO2 laser therapy
Patients will be asked to rate their satisfaction with the procedure on a likert-type scale of 1-10 with 1 being completely dissatisfied and 10 being extremely satisfied. Participants will be asked to rate their satisfaction on this scale after each treatment and at follow-up.
Time frame: Up to 1 month
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