Anal Cancer
Conditions
Keywords
female patients, quality of life, vaginal dilator, vaginal fibrosis
Brief summary
A commercially available vaginal dilator set will be used as measuring device. The grading of vaginal stenosis will be determined as difference of the diameter of vaginal dilator to the baseline. A reduction of the diameter of \<20% is defined as vaginal stenosis Grade 1, a reduction of 20-35% as Grade 2, a reduction of \>35-49% as Grade 3 and a reduction \>/=50% as Grade 4. The investigators hypothesize that the rate of vaginal stenosis Grade 1 or higher 12 months after radiotherapy is lower in the group using extended vaginal dilation during radiotherapy (Arm A). Rates of vaginal stenosis of 50% have been observed in previous patient collectives and the investigators hypothesize that a reduction to 25% is possible in the experimental group.
Detailed description
The study is designed as a prospective, randomized, two-armed, single-center phase-II-trial. 60 patients will be included in the study. Patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria will be randomized into one of the two arms, which differ only in the diameter of a tampon used for vaginal dilatation during treatment. All patients will receive standard (chemo)radiotherapy with a total dose of 45-50,4 Gy (single dose 1,8-2 Gy) to the pelvic and inguinal (if required) lymphatic drainage with a boost to the anal canal up to 54-60 Gy (single doses 1.8-2.2 Gy). The primary objective is the assessment of the incidence and grade of vaginal fibrosis 12 months after (chemo)radiotherapy for anal cancer depending on the extent of intrafractional vaginal dilatation. Secondary endpoints are clinical symptoms and toxicity according to the Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) version 5.0, assessment of clinical feasibility of daily use of a tampon for vaginal dilatation, assessment of the compliance for the use of a vaginal dilatator and quality of life assessed with the EORTC-QLQ30/-ANL27 questionnaires.
Interventions
DEVICEspecial tampon with a diameter of 28mm
patients will use a special tampon with extended vaginal dilatation (diameter 28mm) during radiotherapy
DEVICEstandard tampon with a diameter of 12-13mm
patients in Arm B will use a normal commercially available tampon (diameter 12-13mm) during radiotherapy
Sponsors
Juergen Debus
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Female patient * Histologically confirmed squamous anal cancer * Indication for definitive or postoperative radiotherapy * ECOG 0-2 * Age \> 18 years * Written informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* patients refusal or incapability of informed consent * no vaginal dilatation possible prior to radiation treatment start * prior pelvic irradiation (if direct field border or even overlap of radiation fields assumed) * participation in another clinical trial which might influence the results of the DILANA trial * pregnancy/nursing period or inadequate contraception in women with child bearing potential
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| incidence and grade of vaginal fibrosis | Up to 12 months after start of (chemo)radiotherapy | during and after radiotherapy, clinical symptoms are assessed and graded |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| clinical symptoms and toxicity according to the CTC AE version 5.0. criteria | weekly during radiotherapy, at each follow-up visit | during and after radiotherapy, clinical symptoms are assessed and graded according to the CTC AE v5.0 criteria |
| clinical feasibility of daily use of a special tampon | continously during radiotherapy | daily assessment of the clinical feasibility of daily use of a special tampon |
| assessment of the compliance for the use of a vaginal dilatator | continously at every follow-up visit | patients will be instructed to use a vaginal dilator 3 times a week, at each follow-up visit patients are asked about the frequency of vaginal dilator use |
| assessment of quality of life | baseline, 6-8 weeks after and 6/12 months after finishing radiotherapy | EORTC-QLQ30/-ANL27 questionnaires are used to assess quality of life |
Countries
Germany
Contacts
CONTACTNathalie Arians, MD
CONTACTMatthias Haefner, MD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORNathalie Arians, MD
University Hospital Heidelberg
Outcome results
None listed