Vaginal oxygen plus hyaluronic acid on lower urinary tract symptoms in breast cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vaginal oxygen and hyaluronic acid on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in breast cancer survivors.

METHOD: A prospective trial was conducted at a university hospital's Menopause Outpatient Clinic. Breast cancer patients experiencing LUTS received intravaginal natural oxygen for 15 min, coupled with a 2% hyaluronic acid solution during the last 5 min. This treatment was performed five times at 15-day intervals. Assessments were repeated at each application and 60 days after the last application. Scores on the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6) short form and its single items assessing different LUTS aspects were determined.

RESULTS

Treatment in 85 breast cancer patients decreased the UDI-6 total score (from 24.8 ± 19.9 to 17.5 ± 16.2; p < 0.001) and subscales evaluating irritative (p = 0.001), stress (p = 0.006) and obstructive discomfort (p = 0.001) symptoms. In multivariate analysis, aromatase inhibitors were independently associated with a greater improvement of LUTS (coefficient of regression [CR] - 8.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] -13.41, -2.64; p = 0.004)). The use of a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog was associated with a greater improvement of irritative symptoms (CR -2.42, 95% CI -4.75, -0.08; p = 0.042), while tamoxifen reduced the improvement of stress symptoms (CR 2.49, 95% CI 0.10, 4.90; p = 0.041).

CONCLUSION

Short-term treatment with vaginal oxygen and hyaluronic acid appeared to improve LUTS of breast cancer patients.