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Genitourinary symptoms in women with breast cancer: what do oncology health professionals think and do about them?

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Abstract

Objectives

We aimed to improve understanding of health professional knowledge and management of genitourinary symptoms (GUS) in women with early breast cancer (EBC).

Methods

A survey was sent to 872 health professionals caring for women with EBC. Questions addressed most common GUS seen, experience treating GUS, and attitudes to treatment options.

Results

144 surveys were completed. Respondent characteristics: median age 50 years; 76% female; 42% medical oncologists; 24% nurses; 20% breast surgeons; 8% radiation oncologists. Most (68%) reported prescribing endocrine therapies for EBC, 99% were aware endocrine therapies can cause GUS, and 55% reported “often” or “always” asking patients on endocrine therapy if they have GUS. Respondents thought vaginal dryness was the most bothersome symptom for their patients (66%), followed by dyspareunia (11%). 81% of respondents reported seeing women stop endocrine therapy prematurely due to GUS. Respondents reported receiving “none” (19%) or “a little” (46%) training or education in managing GUS and only 16% reported feeling “very confident” managing GUS. The proportions of respondents reporting “often” and “very often” recommending the following vaginal treatments were: lubricants (81%); moisturisers (68%); oestrogens (21%); and laser (3%). Vaginal oestrogens were considered “safe” or “probably safe” by 77% and 90% of respondents for women with hormone receptor positive and negative EBC, respectively.

Conclusions

Despite health professionals frequently encountering GUS in women with EBC and seeing patients stop endocrine therapies prematurely, only 16% felt confident managing these symptoms. Education and training for health professionals are needed to better address this common problem.

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Abbreviations

ASBD:

Australasian Society of Breast Diseases

BCT:

Breast Cancer Trials

EBC:

Early breast cancer

FDA:

Food and Drug Administration

GSM:

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause

GUS:

Genitourinary symptoms

TGA:

Therapeutic Goods Administration

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the support of the Australasian Society for Breast Diseases (ASBD) and Breast Cancer Trials (BCT) formerly known as the Australian and New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group (ANZBCTG).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia

    Antonia Pearson

  2. Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-Based Decision-Making, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia

    Haryana M. Dhillon

  3. NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia

    Belinda E. Kiely

  4. Bill Walsh Laboratory, Kolling Institute, Level 8, Reserve Road, St Leonards, NSW, 2065, Australia

    Antonia Pearson

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  1. Antonia Pearson
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Correspondence to Antonia Pearson.

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Conflict of interest

Belinda Kiely is on the advisory board and has received speaker honorarium and conference support from Roche, as well as advisory board and speaker honorarium from Novartis. Haryana Dhillon has received an honorarium from MSD paid to her institution. Antonia Pearson has received conference support from Roche.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Pearson, A., Dhillon, H.M. & Kiely, B.E. Genitourinary symptoms in women with breast cancer: what do oncology health professionals think and do about them?. Breast Cancer 28, 1243–1251 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-021-01260-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-021-01260-x

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