Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37949628›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2023

Laser and radiofrequency for treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Nicoli Serquiz, Ayane Cristine Alves Sarmento, Natalie Rios Almeida, Maria Luisa Nobre, Kleyton Santos Medeiros, Ronnier de Oliveira, Ana Paula Ferreira Costa, Ana Katherine Gonçalves

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Laser and radiofrequency for treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause in breast cancer survivors: A systematic review of randomized controlled trial.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Efficacy and safety of fractional microablative radiofrequency versus topical estriol in treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause: A pilot study.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026
    Trial
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Nicoli SerquizPostgraduate Program student in Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
Ayane Cristine Alves SarmentoPostgraduate Program student in Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
Natalie Rios AlmeidaPostgraduate Program student in Obstetrics and Gynecology, UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil.
Maria Luisa NobrePostgraduate Program student in Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0003-0969-4806
Kleyton Santos MedeirosInstitute of Teaching, Research and Innovation, League Against Cancer, Natal, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-4105-7535
Ronnier de OliveiraGraduate medical student, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
Ana Paula Ferreira CostaPostgraduate Program student in Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
Ana Katherine GonçalvesPostgraduate Program student in Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil anakatherineufrnet@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-8351-5119
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte · BRUniversidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) · BR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionBreast cancer survivors (BCSs) experience more severe symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) than healthy postmenopausal women. As hormonal therapy with oestrogen should be avoided in BCSs, finding an effective and safe therapy to address vaginal symptoms and sexual dysfunction is urgently needed. Physical methods may be promising alternatives for the specificities of this group of women. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of physical methods (laser and radiofrequency) for treating GSM in BCSs. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, SciELO, LILACS, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and ClinicalTrials.gov databases will be searched. A search strategy was developed to retrieve clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy and safety of any physical method (laser or radiofrequency) used for GSM in BCSs. No date or language restrictions will be imposed. Two authors will independently select studies by title, abstract and full text to meet the inclusion criteria. Data will be extracted, and the risk of bias will be evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2). Review Manager 5.4.1 will be used for data synthesis. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation will be used to assess the strength of the evidence. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study reviews the published data; thus, obtaining ethical approval is unnecessary. The findings of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023387680.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCancer SurvivorsGenital Diseases, FemaleFemaleHumansLasersMenopauseMeta-Analysis as TopicReview Literature as TopicSystematic Reviews as Topicagingbreast tumoursgenitourinary medicinegynaecological oncology

Identifiers

PMID37949628
PMCPMC10649472
OpenAlexW4388564314

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.