Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40059222›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2025

Genitourinary symptoms in women with breast cancer: frequency, severity and impact.

Antonia Pearson, Haryana M Dhillon, Jill Chen, Rachel Campbell, Janine Lombard, Martha Hickey, Belinda E Kiely

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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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

7 authors.

Antonia PearsonSydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia. Antonia.pearson@sydney.edu.au.
Haryana M DhillonPsycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Jill ChenPsycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Rachel CampbellPsycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Janine LombardNewcastle Private Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
Martha HickeyUniversity of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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

purposeTo improve understanding of genitourinary symptoms (GUS) in women with breast cancer (BC).

methodsWomen with BC completed a survey assessing the type, severity, and impact of GUS experienced, and perceptions of treatment options.

resultsSurveys were completed by 506 women: median age 60 years (range 30 - 83). The majority reported: being sexually active (52%); currently taking endocrine therapy (58%); and having early-stage BC (84%). 69% had GUS, with some changing (5%) or stopping (4%) endocrine therapy as a result. Vaginal dryness was the most common symptom (62%), followed by pain during penetration (41%) and itch (33%). Only 44% recalled being warned by their cancer doctor that BC treatment can cause GUS, and 38% reported never being asked about GUS. Being uncomfortable talking to a male healthcare professional was a moderate or major barrier to accessing advice and treatment for GUS in 28% of respondents. A minority reported using vaginal: lubricants (40%); moisturisers (25%); or oestrogens (16%). Amongst those using vaginal oestrogens, 45% found they helped "quite a bit" or "very much". The most frequently reported moderate to major barrier to using vaginal oestrogens was product information warning against use in women with BC.

conclusionsAlthough GUS are very common in women with BC, the majority of women in our study do not recall being warned or asked about these symptoms. Healthcare professionals should initiate conversations about GUS and treatment options with women with BC to help reduce the impact of these symptoms.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsFemale Urogenital DiseasesAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMiddle AgedSeverity of Illness IndexSexual BehaviorSurveys and QuestionnairesBreast cancerGenitourinary syndrome of menopauseVaginal atrophyVaginal estrogen

Identifiers

PMID40059222
PMCPMC11891100

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.