Daily vaginal dilator use during radiation for women with squamous cell carcinoma of the anus: vaginal wall dosimetry and patient-reported sexual function.

BACKGROUND: At our institution, we treat patients with a daily vaginal dilator (VD) during chemoradiation (CRT) for squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA). We evaluated compliance with daily VD use, radiation dose to the vaginal wall (VW) and anterior vaginal wall (AVW), and patient-reported long-term sexual function.

METHODS: We included women with SCCA who received definitive, intensity-modulated radiotherapy-based CRT. Women who were alive without evidence of disease received a patient-reported outcome survey, which included the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). We identified factors associated with FSFI such as radiation dose to the VW and AVW using linear regression models and used Youden index analysis to estimate a dose cutoff to predict sexual dysfunction.

RESULTS: Three hundred thirty-nine consecutively treated women were included in the analysis; 285 (84.1%) were treated with a daily VD. Of 184 women alive without disease, ninety patients (49%) completed the FSFI, and 51 (56.7%) were sexually active with valid FSFI scores. All received therapy with a daily VD. Forty-one women (80%) had sexual dysfunction. Univariate analysis showed higher dose to 50% (D50%) of the AVW correlated with worse FSFI (β -0.262; p=.043), worse desire FSFI subscore (β -.056; p=.003) and worse pain FSFI subscore (β -.084; p=.009). Younger age correlated with worse pain FSFI subscale (β .067; p=.026). Age (β 0.070; p=.013) and AVW D50% (β -0.087; p=.009) were significant on multivariable analysis. AVW D50% >48Gy predicted increased risk of sexual dysfunction.

CONCLUSION: Daily VD use is safe and well tolerated during CRT for SCCA. Using a VD during treatment to displace the AVW may reduce the risk for sexual dysfunction. Limiting the AVW D50% <48Gy may further reduce the risk but additional data are needed to validate this constraint.