title: Effect of one-month treatment with vaginal promestriene on serum estrone sulfate levels in cancer patients: a pilot study.
abstract: Vaginal promestriene was tested in gynecological cancer patients who suffered from severe vaginal dryness and dyspareunia. This form of estrogen has a low level of vaginal absorption and proved to be effective for vaginal atrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  17 patients were treated with a 10mg soft vaginal suppository daily for one month. Plasma levels of estrone sulfate (E1S), used as the marker of overall estrogenicity, were measured by liquid chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean E1S levels changed from 533 (22-2920) to 374 (81-856) pg/ml (p=0.39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In highly symptomatic gynecological cancer patients the level of circulating estrone sulfate was not significantly affected by vaginal promestriene treatment overall, but a wide range of levels was noted pre and post treatment in individual patients.
authors.affiliation: Oncological Gynecology, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, PN, Italy. ldelpup@cro.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Pup
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Postruznik
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corona
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004970:Estrone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013488:Suppositories; D014621:Vagina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D013488:Suppositories; D004970:Estrone; D004958:Estradiol; C013657:promestriene; C017296:estrone sulfate