• Tracie Miles and Nick Johnson.
• Gynaecological Oncology, Royal United Hospital NHS Trust, Combe Park, Bath, UK, BA1 3NG.
• Cochrane Db Syst Rev. 2014 Sep 8; 2014 (9): CD007291CD007291.

BackgroundVaginal dilation therapy is advocated after pelvic radiotherapy to prevent stenosis (abnormal narrowing of the vagina), but can be uncomfortable and psychologically distressing.ObjectivesTo assess the benefits and harms of different types of vaginal dilation methods offered to women treated by pelvic radiotherapy for cancer.Search MethodsSearches included the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL 2013, Issue 5), MEDLINE (1950 to June week 2, 2013), EMBASE (1980 to 2013 week 24) and CINAHL (1982 to 2013).Selection CriteriaComparative data of any type, which evaluated dilation or penetration of the vagina after pelvic radiotherapy treatment for cancer.Data Collection And AnalysisTwo review authors independently assessed whether potentially relevant studies met the inclusion criteria. We found no trials and therefore analysed no data.Main ResultsWe identified no studies for inclusion in the original review or for this update. However, we felt that some studies that were excluded warranted discussion. These included one randomised trial (RCT), which showed no improvement in sexual scores associated with encouraging women to practise dilation therapy; a recent small RCT that did not show any advantage to dilation over vibration therapy during radiotherapy; two non-randomised comparative studies; and five correlation studies. One of these showed that objective measurements of vaginal elasticity and length were not linked to dilation during radiotherapy, but the study lacked power. One study showed that women who dilated tolerated a larger dilator, but the risk of objectivity and bias with historical controls was high. Another study showed that the vaginal measurements increased in length by a mean of 3 cm after dilation was introduced 6 to 10 weeks after radiotherapy, but there was no control group; another case series showed the opposite. Three recent studies showed less stenosis associated with prophylactic dilation after radiotherapy. One small case series suggested that dilation years after radiotherapy might restore the vagina to a functional length.Authors' ConclusionsThere is no reliable evidence to show that routine, regular vaginal dilation during radiotherapy treatment prevents stenosis or improves quality of life. Several observational studies have examined the effect of dilation therapy after radiotherapy. They suggest that frequent dilation practice is associated with lower rates of self reported stenosis. This could be because dilation is effective or because women with a healthy vagina are more likely to comply with dilation therapy instructions compared to women with strictures. We would normally suggest that a RCT is needed to distinguish between a casual and causative link, but pilot studies highlight many reasons why RCT methodology is challenging in this area.

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