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World J Clin Oncol. Feb 24, 2022; 13(2): 71-100
Published online Feb 24, 2022. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v13.i2.71
Management of genitourinary syndrome of menopause in breast cancer survivors: An update
Daniel María Lubián López
Daniel María Lubián López, Department of Mother and Child Health and Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cadiz, Cádiz 11100, Spain
Daniel María Lubián López, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Service, University Hospital of Jerez de la Frontera, Jerez de la Frontera 11407, Spain
Daniel María Lubián López, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Viamed Bahía de Cádiz, Chiclana de la Frontera 11130, Cádiz, a Spain
Daniel María Lubián López, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Quirónsalud Campo de Gibraltar, Los Barrios 11379, Cádiz, Spain
Author contributions: Lubián López DM contributed to conceptualization, bibliographic search, design, writing and correction of the article.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Non-financial competing interests.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Daniel María Lubián López, MD, PhD, Full Professor, Department of Mother and Child Health and Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cadiz, Service of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Jerez de la Frontera, Jerez de la Frontera 11407, Spain. dmlulo@gmail.com
Received: March 1, 2021
Peer-review started: March 1, 2021
First decision: September 2, 2021
Revised: September 19, 2021
Accepted: January 17, 2022
Article in press: January 17, 2022
Published online: February 24, 2022
Processing time: 358 Days and 12.4 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is commonly experienced by breast cancer survivors (BCSs) receiving antiestrogen therapy, specifically aromatase inhibitors. Vaginal dryness, itching, irritation and dyspareunia produce impairment of sexual function and negatively impact on the quality of life. Healthy women, and even more so BCSs, are reluctant to discuss this problem with their general practitioner or oncologist. Safety of vaginal estrogen therapy for management of GSM refractory to other nonhormonal treatment in BCSs has not been definitively established, and recommendations for use remain controversial. This review aims to summarize the clinical approach and emerging therapeutic alternatives, considering the efficacy and potencial adverse effects in this population.