Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38780887›Full record

SynthesisBreast cancer research and treatment2024

Measuring serum oestrogen levels in breast cancer survivors using vaginal oestrogens: a systematic review.

Antonia Pearson, Jill Chen, Haryana M Dhillon, Belinda E Kiely

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Breast cancer research and treatment, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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. Review
  2. Review
  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

4 authors.

Antonia PearsonSydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia. Antonia.pearson@sydney.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6966-5586
Jill ChenPsycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Haryana M DhillonPsycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4039-5169
Belinda E KielySydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeVaginal oestrogens can be used to treat genitourinary symptoms in women with early breast cancer. Studies evaluating vaginal oestrogens have commonly measured serum oestrogen levels as a surrogate marker of safety, but methods vary. We sought to summarise the data on serum oestrogen measurement in women with breast cancer using vaginal oestrogens to better understand the methods, levels and reliability.

methodsWe searched Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, SCOPUS and CINAHL from inception to October 2023 for clinical studies where serum oestrogen was measured in women with a history of early breast cancer using vaginal oestrogens. Studies with a reported testing methodology were included.

resultsNine studies met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. Methods used to measure oestradiol and oestriol in selected studies included mass spectrometry and immunoassays; several studies used more than one with variable concordance. Mass spectrometry detected oestradiol levels down to a lower limit between 1.0 pg/mL and 3.0 pg/mL. Immunoassays such as ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), ECLIA (enhanced chemiluminiscence immunoassay) and RIA (radioimmunoassay) had lower detection limits ranging between 0.8 pg/mL and 10 pg/mL. Studies were heterogeneous in testing techniques used, timing of testing, and the population including with subsequent varying results in the effect on oestrogens reported.

conclusionsAdopting consistent and standardised methods of measuring oestrogens in clinical trials involving women with early breast cancer on vaginal oestrogens is critical. Serum oestrogens are used as a surrogate marker of safety in this population, and good-quality data are necessary to enable clinicians and patients to feel confident in prescribing and taking vaginal oestrogens. Mass spectrometry, although more expensive, gives more reliable results when dealing with very low levels of oestrogens often found in women on aromatase inhibitors, compared to immunoassays.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCancer SurvivorsEstrogensAdministration, IntravaginalEstradiolEstriolFemaleHumansVaginaEstradiolEstriolEstrogensBreast cancerEstradiolEstrogen testingGenitourinary syndrome of menopauseVaginal atrophyVaginal estrogen

Identifiers

PMID38780887
PMCPMC11182841

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.