Clinical Scorecard: Vaginal Microbiome Changes and Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause in Premenopausal Patients with Breast Cancer Undergoing Endocrine Therapy: A Longitudinal Study Protocol

At a Glance

Key Highlights

• Endocrine therapy often induces GSM symptoms in breast cancer survivors.
• Approximately 70% of patients develop GSM symptoms post-treatment.
• Study compares effects of ovarian function suppression combined with aromatase inhibitors versus tamoxifen.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

• Assess GSM symptoms using Vaginal Health Index (VHI) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for dryness and dyspareunia.

Management

• Endorsement of ovarian function suppression combined with aromatase inhibitors or tamoxifen as standard treatment.

Monitoring & Follow-up

• Longitudinal assessment of vaginal microbiome diversity and GSM symptoms at multiple time points.

Risks

• 20–30% of breast cancer survivors may cease endocrine therapy due to adverse effects associated with hypoestrogenism.

Patient & Prescribing Data

110 premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Endocrine therapy with ovarian function suppression is critical for enhancing survival outcomes.

Clinical Best Practices

Related Resources & Content

• Clinical Trial Registration