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TOPLINE:

A single treatment of platelet-rich plasma injected into the vagina and posterior fourchette is safe and feasible for treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) in breast cancer survivors. The treatment significantly improved symptoms, sexual function, and quality of life at 6 months, including in patients taking aromatase inhibitors.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a prospective, single-arm pilot study of breast cancer survivors (stage 0-III) reporting vaginal dryness with or without dyspareunia.
• Participants underwent one-time treatment with 7 mL autologous platelet-rich plasma injected throughout the vaginal canal and posterior fourchette into 35 sites.
• Assessment tools included Vaginal Maturation Index, Vaginal Health Index, Vaginal and Vulvar Assessment Scales, Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging questionnaire, Female Sexual Function Index, and Urogenital Distress Inventory-Short Form scores.
• A single tertiary referral center enrolled participants from January 2021 to January 2024, with 6-month follow-up to assess treatment efficacy.

TAKEAWAY:

• Study participants (n = 20) had a mean age of 53.6 years (SD ± 7.5) and BMI of 27.2 (SD ± 4.6), with 85.0% having hormone receptor-positive breast cancer and 65.0% taking aromatase inhibitors.
• Treatment-related adverse events included vaginal spotting, irritation, discharge, burning, cramping, and mild pain, all resolving within 24 hours, with no serious adverse events reported.
• Significant improvements were observed in Vaginal Health Index, Vaginal and Vulvar Assessment Scales, Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging questionnaire, Female Sexual Function Index, and Urogenital Distress Inventory-Short Form scores from baseline to 6 months (P < .001), though Vaginal Maturation Index changes were nonsignificant (P = .062).
• At 6 months, 90.0% of patients showed increased vaginal caliber measured by dilator size, and 95.0% reported symptom improvement on the Patient Global Impression of Improvement measure.

IN PRACTICE:

“Breast cancer survivors had significantly improved GSM symptoms, sexual function, urinary symptoms, and quality of life, which is ultimately the goal of the participants. Platelet-rich plasma may offer an alternative nonhormonal regenerative therapy to treat GSM,” the authors of the study wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Anita H. Chen, MD, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida. It was published online in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

LIMITATIONS:

The researchers acknowledged several limitations, including the pilot design with a small cohort size and assessment by a single nonblinded investigator. The study’s recruitment from a tertiary academic center may limit generalizability, and there was a lack of standardization for PRP preparation. Additionally, the cohort’s limited diversity further restricts the generalizability of the findings.

DISCLOSURES:

The Mayo Clinic Florida Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics provided funding for this study. Johnny Yi disclosed receiving payment for consultancy from Intuitive Surgical. The other authors reported no potential conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.