{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]],"date-time":"2026-02-22T16:19:01Z","timestamp":1771777141959,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,6,21]],"date-time":"2020-06-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1592697600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cancers"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Women who have previously received radiotherapy (RT) for gynecologic cancer often suffer from vaginal fibrosis and stenosis. The success of \u201cnon-ablative\u201d laser therapy for postmenopausal vaginal atrophy has led to the idea of testing the laser in patients submitted to RT. In this prospective observational study, we selected patients who underwent pelvic RT followed by vaginal laser treatment. We scheduled three treatment sessions (at T0\u2013T1\u2013T2) and three controls (at T1\u2013T2\u2013T3) one month apart. The follow-up (at T4) was carried out six months after the last treatment. Vaginal Health Index (VHI) and vaginal length were evaluated. Sexual function was assessed through Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Overall, 43 patients with severe vaginal shortening, atrophy and stenosis was enrolled and treated with intravaginal non-ablative CO2 laser. We observed a progressive increase in vaginal length of 9% (p = 0.03) at T2 and 28% (p &lt; 0.0001) at T3; effects were maintained at T4 (p &lt; 0.0001). After the first application VHI showed a significant improvement of 57% at T3 (p &lt; 0.0001). The results were maintained at T4 (p &lt; 0.0001). No changes were found in FSFI. All procedures were well tolerated. In conclusion, laser therapy improved vaginal length and VHI in women undergoing pelvic RT; prospective studies are needed.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers12061639","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,6,24]],"date-time":"2020-06-24T07:14:19Z","timestamp":1592982859000},"page":"1639","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":29,"title":["Results of a Phase I-II Study on Laser Therapy for Vaginal Side Effects after Radiotherapy for Cancer of Uterine Cervix or Endometrium"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3140-4772","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna Myriam","family":"Perrone","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Sant\u2019Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Centro di Studio e Ricerca delle Neoplasie Ginecologiche (CSR), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Tesei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Sant\u2019Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Centro di Studio e Ricerca delle Neoplasie Ginecologiche (CSR), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Martina","family":"Ferioli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiotherapy Unit, Sant\u2019Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Francesca","family":"De Terlizzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Scientific &amp; Medical Department, IGEA S.p.A., Via Parmenide 10\/A, 41012 Carpi (Mo), Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0367-5276","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna Nunzia","family":"Della Gatta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Sant\u2019Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Safia","family":"Boussedra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Sant\u2019Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giulia","family":"Dondi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Sant\u2019Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Centro di Studio e Ricerca delle Neoplasie Ginecologiche (CSR), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andrea","family":"Galuppi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro di Studio e Ricerca delle Neoplasie Ginecologiche (CSR), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Radiotherapy Unit, Sant\u2019Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9793-3410","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessio Giuseppe","family":"Morganti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro di Studio e Ricerca delle Neoplasie Ginecologiche (CSR), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Radiotherapy Unit, Sant\u2019Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Pierandrea","family":"De Iaco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Sant\u2019Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Centro di Studio e Ricerca delle Neoplasie Ginecologiche (CSR), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,6,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1144","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJM199904153401502","article-title":"Concurrent Cisplatin-Based Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer","volume":"340","author":"Rose","year":"1999","journal-title":"New. 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