Vaginal Testosterone Cream vs Estradiol Vaginal Ring for Vaginal Dryness or Decreased Libido in Women Receiving Aromatase Inhibitors for Early-Stage Breast Cancer -

Vaginal Testosterone Cream vs Estradiol Vaginal Ring for Vaginal Dryness or Decreased Libido in Women Receiving Aromatase Inhibitors for Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Information type: Randomised controlled trials
Source: JAMA Oncology
Specialities: Cancers | Obstetrics and gynaecology | Sexual health
Summary
Small study (n=69) found treatment with a vaginal ring or vaginal testosterone cream over 12 weeks met the primary safety end point with <25% of patients having persistent elevation in estradiol levels (>10pg/ml) on two samples at least two weeks apart.
UKMi comment

Secondary objectives included changes in sexual quality of life using the Cancer Rehabilitation Evaluation System sexuality subscales, changes in vaginal atrophy using a validated 4-point scale, and the study found that vaginal atrophy and sexual interest and dysfunction improved for all patients.

An editorial highlights the study’s limitation in that the safety endpoint is not one which is well defined with no current evidence establishing whether the study threshold of less than 25% persistent elevation in estradiol, or any other level of elevation, is ‘safe’ for breast cancer survivors, in the sense of having no effect on their risk of future breast cancer events.
Related links: Editorial