Effects of vaginal dilation therapy on vaginal condition and sexual function of endometrial cancer patients treated with radiotherapy after surgery

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of vaginal dilation therapy on vaginal length, vaginal stenosis, vaginal elasticity, and sexual function of endometrial cancer patients treated with radiotherapy after surgery.MethodsA total of 117 women were enrolled in this study. They received 6 months of vaginal dilation therapy. We evaluated their vaginal length, vaginal diameter, vaginal elasticity, and sexual function before radiotherapy, after radiotherapy, and after 6 months of vaginal dilation therapy. Their vaginal condition was assessed by customized vaginal dilating molds. Their sexual function was assessed by female sexual function index. The SPSS 25 software was used to analyze all the data.ResultsAccording to multivariate analysis, vaginal diameter (β = 0.300, 95% CI [0.217–1.446], p = 0.010) and sexual intercourse frequency before diagnosis (β = 0.424, 95% CI [0.164–0.733], p = 0.006) were significantly correlated with female sexual function after radiotherapy. Vaginal dilation therapy helped increase vaginal length, improve vaginal stenosis and sexual function (p < 0.05), though most of the figures at the end of the intervention did not fully return to those before radiotherapy. Noticeably, vaginal dilation therapy was ineffective in improving vaginal elasticity and the incidence rate of female sexual dysfunction (p > 0.05). Moreover, patients with medium or good vaginal elasticity benefited more from vaginal dilation therapy than patients with poor vaginal elasticity (p < 0.05).ConclusionVaginal dilation therapy should be carried out timely and preventatively in endometrial cancer patients treated with radiotherapy after surgery to improve their vaginal condition and sexual function.