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Background: Since continuing advances in radiotherapy technology broaden the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of gynaecologic malignancies, the use of vaginal dilators has been introduced in order to mitigate the risk of vaginal stenosis. The main aims of this study were to investigate the vaginal dilator use efficacy in the treatment of radiation-induced vaginal stenosis and the vaginal dilator effect on sexual quality of life. Methods: We studied fifty-three patients with endometrial or cervical cancer. The participants were treated with radical or adjuvant external beam radiotherapy and/or brachytherapy. They were routinely examined at four time points post-radiotherapy when also they were asked to fill in a validated sexual function-vaginal changes questionnaire. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The vaginal stenosis grading score was decreased and the size of the vaginal dilator comfortably insertable was gradually increased throughout the year of vaginal dilator use while radiation-induced vaginal and sexual symptoms were improved throughout the year of VD use. All patients with initial grade 3 showed vaginal stenosis of grade 2 after 12 months of vaginal dilator use and 65.8% of the patients with grade 2 initial vaginal stenosis demonstrated final vaginal stenosis grade 1 while 77.8% of the participants with initial 1st size of vaginal dilators reached the 3rd vaginal dilator size after 12 months. Starting time of dilator therapy

This study investigated the efficacy of a vaginal dilator (VD) for the treatment of radiation-induced vaginal stenosis (VS) and the effect of a VD on sexual quality of life. Fifty three patients with endometrial or cervical cancers participated in this prospective observational study. All participants were treated with radical or adjuvant external beam radiotherapy and/or brachytherapy. They were routinely examined 4 times after radiotherapy (RT) and were also asked to complete a validated sexual function-vaginal changes questionnaire. SPSS version 20 and Minitab version 16 were used for the statistical analysis. The statistical significance was set at P

Extrapelvic endometriosis is a rare entity that presents serious challenges to researchers and clinicians. Endometriotic lesions have been reported in every part of the female human body and in some instances in males. Organs that are close to the uterus are more often affected than distant locations. Extrapelvic endometriosis affects a slightly older population of women than pelvic endometriosis. This might lead to the assumption that it takes several years for pelvic endometriosis to “metastasize” outside the pelvis. All current theories of the pathophysiology of endometriosis apply to some extent to the different types of extrapelvic endometriosis. The gastrointestinal tract is the most common location of extrapelvic endometriosis with the urinary system being the second one. However, since sigmoid colon, rectum, and bladder are pelvic organs, extragenital pelvic endometriosis may be a more suitable definition for endometriotic implants related to these organs than extrapelvic endometriosis. The sigmoid colon is the most commonly involved, followed by the rectum, ileum, appendix, and caecum. Most lesions are confined in the serosal layer; however, deeper lesion can alter bowel function and cause symptoms. Bladder and ureteral involvement are the most common sites concerning the urinary system. Unfortunately, ureteral endometriosis is often asymptomatic leading to silent obstructive uropathy and renal failure. Surgical excision of the endometriotic tissue is the ideal treatment for all types of extrapelvic endometriosis. Adjunctive treatment might be useful in selected cases.