ReviewPractical radiation oncology2019
Literature Review of Vaginal Stenosis and Dilator Use in Radiation Oncology.
Review in Practical radiation oncology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 29 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Pilot Study to Assess the Feasibility of Use of a Novel Vaginal Dilator Device Post-radiation for Patients With Pelvic Malignancies
Impact of Vaginal Dilator Use on Vaginal Morbidity and Quality of Life Following Definitive Radiation Therapy for Cervical Cancer.
Who cites it
29 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 87 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence, risk factors, and interventions for female sexual dysfunction after radiotherapy for anal cancer: a systematic review.British journal of cancer · 2026Pooled it
- Prevention and management of radiotherapy-related toxicities in gynecological malignancies. Position paper on behalf of AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology).La Radiologia medica · 2024Guideline
- Trial
- Vaginal dilator therapy for pelvic cancer patients: a review.Gynecologic oncology reports · 2026Review
- The Greatest Challenges after Gender-Affirming Vaginoplasty: A Qualitative Analysis.Transgender health · 2026Article
- The effectiveness of a 3-dimensional printed vaginal dilator in mitigating radiation-induced vaginal stenosis for patients with cervical cancer.Journal of gynecologic oncology · 2026Article
- Exercise and physiotherapy for enhancing muscle strength, managing lower-limb lymphedema, and improving sexual function in the treatment and survivorship of gynecological cancers.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Review
- Defining and sparing sexual function-related organs at risk for rectal cancer radiotherapy.Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden) · 2025Article
- Clinical practice guidelines: sexual dysfunction in gynecological cancer patients.Sexual medicine · 2025Review
- Epidemiology, etiology and treatment of female vaginal injury.Reproductive health · 2025Review
- Diagnosis and management of face presentation: a case report featuring an innovative diagnostic approach and fetal spinal protection technique.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- From diagnosis to survivorship addressing the sexuality of women during cancer.The oncologist · 2024Review
- Rehabilitation of pelvic floor dysfunction after radiation therapy for a rare gynecological cancer: A case report.Gynecologic oncology reports · 2024Article
- Review
- Preclinical Female Model of Urogenital Dysfunction and Pathophysiological Changes After Pelvic Radiation Therapy.Cureus · 2024Article
- Research progress in female pelvic floor rehabilitation aids.Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2024Review
- Design and Material Characterization of an Inflatable Vaginal Dilator.Materials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Clinical Practice Strategies to Address Sexual Health in Female Cancer Survivors.Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2023Review
- Exploring Brachytherapy Discharge Educational Needs of Gynecological Cancer Patients.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2023Article
- A qualitative analysis of female patient perspectives on physician communication regarding sexual dysfunction associated with pelvic radiotherapy.The journal of sexual medicine · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeGuidelines for the care of women undergoing pelvic radiation therapy (RT) recommend vaginal dilator therapy (VDT) to prevent radiation-induced vaginal stenosis (VS); however, no standard protocol exists. This review seeks to update our current state of knowledge concerning VS and VDT in radiation oncology. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A comprehensive literature review (1972-2017) was conducted using search terms "vaginal stenosis," "radiation," and "vaginal dilator." Information was organized by key concepts including VS definition, time course, pathophysiology, risk factors, and interventions.
resultsVS is a well-described consequence of pelvic RT, with early manifestations and late changes evolving over several years. Strong risk factors for VS include RT dose and volume of vagina irradiated. Resultant vaginal changes can interfere with sexual function and correlational studies support the use of preventive VDT. The complexity of factors that drive noncompliance with VDT is well recognized. There are no prospective data to guide optimal duration of VDT, and the consistency with which radiation oncologists monitor VS and manage its consequences is unknown.
conclusionsThis review provides information concerning VS definition, pathophysiology, and risk factors and identifies domains of VDT practice that are understudied. Prospective efforts to monitor and measure outcomes of patients who are prescribed VDT are needed to guide practice.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.