Evaluation of Vaginal Microbiome as a Biomarker for the Improvement of Vaginal Health in Women With Breast Cancer, ARISE Study

The VAginal Microbiome as a BiomaRker of VagInal Health in Women With BreaSt CancEr (ARISE)

This study evaluates vaginal microbiome as a biomarker to improve vaginal and sexual health in women with breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in United States women, aside from skin cancers. Endocrine therapy is standard treatment for 70% of invasive breast cancers, significantly affecting sexual health and often causing women to change their course of treatment or cease sexual activity. Changes in the vaginal microbiome, which is the collection of all microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that naturally live on and inside the body, are implicated in menopausal-related sexual health symptoms, but the vaginal microbiome (and associated immune responses) has not been explored as a biomarker for sexual health changes in hormone-related sexual health symptoms in breast cancer. A biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease. Ribonucleic acid (RNA)-sequencing is a cost-effective method to analyze both human and microbial transcripts. The RNA that is sequenced from a standard biological sample such as a swab is a snapshot of the expression of many different cells and can be used to simultaneously measure the quantities of microbes, the overall expression of the human host, and the quantities of immune cells. Information gathered from this study may help researchers establish the vaginal microbiome as a biomarker and therapeutic target to improve the vaginal and sexual health of women with breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Breast Neoplasms
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Electronic Health Record Review; Other: Questionnaire Administration; Procedure: Biospecimen Collection

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Determine whether individuals who experience vaginal dryness have a distinct microbiome prior to treatment from those who do not in a sample of breast cancer survivors initiating endocrine therapy.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE:

I. Explore potential mechanisms of microbiome-associated vaginal toxicity through correlation with host gene expression and deconvolved immune cell abundances.

OUTLINE: This is an observational study.

Participants undergo vaginal specimen self-collection via vaginal swab collection kit, complete questionnaires, and have medical records reviewed on study.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 35

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210
      • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy at the Stephanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center (SSCBC) at the Ohio State University Medical Center.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women ages 18 years and older
• Non-metastatic, estrogen and/or progesterone positive, human epidermal growth factor (HER) 2 negative breast cancer who will be receiving endocrine therapy, including tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitor, or ovarian suppression
• Endocrine positive women who have received chemotherapy (adriamycin and cytoxan + taxol; taxotere and cytoxan) will still be eligible but must have completed their treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Triple negative breast cancer patients
• Human epidermal growth factor (HER) 2 positive breast cancer patients
• Metastatic disease

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Observational (vaginal sample, questionnaires, records); Participants undergo vaginal specimen self-collection via vaginal swab collection kit, complete questionnaires, and have medical records reviewed on study.	Other: Electronic Health Record Review; Medical records reviewed; Other: Questionnaire Administration; Complete questionnaires; Procedure: Biospecimen Collection; Undergo vaginal specimen self-collection via vaginal swab collection kit; Other Names: Biological Sample Collection; Biospecimen Collected; Specimen Collection

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Correlation of Lactobacillus to Prevotella Ratio (LPR) with vaginal dryness	The LPR will be calculated by aggregating the Lactobacillus genus counts and dividing by the aggregated Prevotella genus counts. The vaginal dryness (binary, Vaginal Assessment Scale score <= 2 versus > 2) will be related to the LPR (continuous) by logistic regression. Will use a two-sided Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test with Monte Carlo simulation. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, medians) and correlations will be used to describe sociodemographic factors, clinical factors, and patient reported outcomes. Parametric and nonparametric tests of difference will be used to compare variables.	Through study completion, an average of 1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Elizabeth K Arthur, PhD, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• The Jamesline

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 6, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): March 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 26, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 13, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): July 14, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 4, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 2, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Skin Diseases; Breast Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Investigative Techniques; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Specimen Handling
• Other Study ID Numbers: OSU-22295; NCI-2023-03368 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No