Pink October brings important attention to breast cancer awareness, diagnosis and treatment. It is also a reminder that care does not stop when primary treatment ends.
For some women, life after hormone-dependent cancer includes genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) — a group of symptoms linked to low estrogen levels that can include vaginal dryness, irritation, discomfort, pain during intercourse and changes in sexual function. Managing these symptoms can be especially challenging when hormonal therapies are not suitable.
A new prospective randomized pilot study published in Healthcare takes a closer look at two non-hormonal approaches: non-ablative Er:YAG laser therapy and 0.2% hyaluronic acid vaginal gel.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Ljubljana, with authors also affiliated with the Department of Gynecological Oncology at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana.
A closer look at the study
The trial included 65 women with hormone-dependent malignancies who had completed primary cancer treatment.
Thirty-four women received three non-ablative Er laser treatments at four-week intervals. The remaining 31 used hyaluronic acid vaginal gel for two months.
Laser treatments were performed using Fotona’s TimeWalker® IntimaLaserTM Pro platform with the RenovaLase® protocol in non-ablative SMOOTH® mode. Fotona’s Er:YAG technology provides controlled thermal stimulation without ablating the vaginal mucosa.
Researchers then compared changes in vulvovaginal symptoms and sexual function before treatment and one month after treatment was completed.
What changed?
Both groups reported improvements.
Vulvovaginal symptoms improved to a similar extent with both approaches, while sexual function improved more in the Er:YAG laser group.
As a small pilot study comparing two active treatments, the research is an early step rather than a final answer. The authors note that larger controlled studies are needed to confirm the findings.
Still, the study adds new clinical data on the use of Fotona’s non-ablative Er:YAG technology in women with GSM following hormone-dependent cancer and adds to the evolving evidence around laser-based approaches in women’s health.
For clinicians working with women after cancer, that growing evidence matters: it can help expand the conversation around non-hormonal care and support more informed treatment decisions.
Read the full study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42793498/
Reference: Lipovec T, Merlo S, Cilenšek I, Kovacevic N. Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Non-Hormonal Treatment of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause in Women with Hormone-Dependent Cancer: A Prospective Randomized Pilot Study. Healthcare. 2026;14(18):2959. doi:10.3390/healthcare14182959.