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Biofeedback-Assisted Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation for Radiation-Induced Sexual Dysfunction in Cervical Cancer Survivors

18 mei 2026 bijgewerkt door: Marwa Elsayed Mohamed, PhD, Beni-Suef University

Efficacy of Biofeedback-Assisted Pelvic Floor Muscle Training on Pelvic Radiation-Induced Sexual Dysfunction and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Cervical Cancer Survivors : A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training on radiation-induced sexual dysfunction in cervical cancer survivors following pelvic radiotherapy. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor rehabilitation or supervised conventional pelvic floor muscle training without biofeedback for 8 weeks.

Studie Overzicht

Toestand

Werving

Conditie

Interventie / Behandeling

Gedetailleerde beschrijving

Cervical cancer survivors commonly experience persistent sexual dysfunction and pelvic floor impairments following pelvic radiotherapy, including dyspareunia, reduced vaginal lubrication, vaginal stenosis, decreased genital sensation, pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, and reduced quality of life.

These complications are mainly attributed to radiation-induced fibrosis, vascular changes, and neuromuscular dysfunction affecting pelvic floor muscle performance and coordination, in addition to psychological distress.

Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is an established conservative intervention for improving pelvic floor muscle strength, coordination, and sexual function in women with pelvic floor dysfunction. Electromyographic biofeedback may enhance the effectiveness of PFMT by providing real-time visual and auditory feedback that facilitates motor learning, improves voluntary muscle activation, enhances relaxation capacity, and optimizes contraction-relaxation coordination.

This study is novel as it specifically evaluates electromyographic biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training in cervical cancer survivors with radiation-induced sexual dysfunction, an area with limited high-quality randomized controlled evidence. Unlike previous studies on general pelvic floor disorders, it uses a cancer-specific population, a standardized supervised active comparator, and integrates both subjective outcomes (Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)) and objective pelvic floor electromyography measures. The design allows isolation of the specific added benefit of biofeedback over conventional pelvic floor muscle training.

Studietype

Ingrijpend

Inschrijving (Geschat)

60

Fase

  • Niet toepasbaar

Contacten en locaties

In dit gedeelte vindt u de contactgegevens van degenen die het onderzoek uitvoeren en informatie over waar dit onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd.

Studiecontact

Studie Locaties

  • Egypte
      • Banī Suwayf, Egypte
        • Werving
        • Out patient clinic , faculty of Physical Therapy, Beni Sueif university

Deelname Criteria

Onderzoekers zoeken naar mensen die aan een bepaalde beschrijving voldoen, de zogenaamde geschiktheidscriteria. Enkele voorbeelden van deze criteria zijn iemands algemene gezondheidstoestand of eerdere behandelingen.

Geschiktheidscriteria

Leeftijden die in aanmerking komen voor studie

  • Volwassen

Accepteert gezonde vrijwilligers

Nee

Beschrijving

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Female participants aged 30-60 years.
  2. Histologically confirmed diagnosis of cervical cancer (any stage at diagnosis) and completion of primary treatment.
  3. Completion of pelvic radiotherapy (external beam radiotherapy and/or brachytherapy) ≥3 months prior to enrollment.
  4. Presence of radiation-induced sexual dysfunction, defined as a Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score ≤26.55.
  5. Self-reported sexual activity within the previous 6 months.
  6. Medically stable with no current oncologic indication for active treatment, confirmed by treating oncologist.
  7. Ability to understand study procedures and provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Evidence of recurrent, persistent, or metastatic cervical cancer.
  2. Participation in pelvic floor muscle training or biofeedback-based rehabilitation within the previous 6 months.
  3. Presence of severe pelvic organ prolapse (stage III-IV).
  4. Active pelvic infection, pelvic inflammatory disease, or untreated vaginal infection.
  5. Ongoing significant vaginal bleeding of unknown or pathological origin.
  6. Untreated or active urinary tract infection at the time of enrollment.
  7. Neurological disorders affecting pelvic floor function (e.g., spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis).
  8. Severe psychiatric illness or uncontrolled mental health disorder affecting participation.
  9. Cognitive impairment preventing understanding of instructions or adherence to protocol.
  10. Current pregnancy or planning pregnancy during the study period.
  11. Participation in another interventional clinical or rehabilitation trial within the last 3 months or during the study period.

Studie plan

Dit gedeelte bevat details van het studieplan, inclusief hoe de studie is opgezet en wat de studie meet.

Hoe is de studie opgezet?

Ontwerpdetails

  • Primair doel: Behandeling
  • Toewijzing: Gerandomiseerd
  • Interventioneel model: Parallelle opdracht
  • Masker: Enkel

Wapens en interventies

Deelnemersgroep / Arm
Interventie / Behandeling
Experimenteel: Biofeedback-Assisted Pelvic Floor Muscle Rehabilitation
Participants will receive supervised biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation three sessions weekly for 8 weeks. Each treatment session will last approximately 45-60 minutes and will include pelvic floor muscle training, electromyographic biofeedback, coordination exercises, diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation training, stretching exercises, and a structured home exercise program.
Gedragsmatig: Biofeedback-Assisted Pelvic Floor Muscle Rehabilitation
An intravaginal surface electromyographic probe connected to a pelvic floor biofeedback device will be used during supervised pelvic floor muscle training sessions conducted three times per week for 8 weeks, with each session lasting 45-60 minutes. The protocol will include slow pelvic floor muscle contractions (8-12 repetitions per set, each held for 5-10 seconds with equal relaxation time) and fast contractions (10-15 rapid contractions per set), performed for 2-3 sets per session with short rest intervals (1-2 minutes) between sets according to participant tolerance. Visual and auditory biofeedback will be provided throughout to enhance motor learning, muscle awareness, coordination, contraction quality, and relaxation control. Training intensity, contraction duration, and repetitions will be progressively increased based on individual performance and fatigue response. In addition, participants will perform a structured home exercise program five days per week.
Actieve vergelijker: Supervised Conventional Pelvic Floor Muscle Training
Participants will receive supervised conventional pelvic floor muscle training without electromyographic biofeedback three sessions weekly for 8 weeks. Participants will additionally receive pelvic health education, lifestyle advice, vaginal care recommendations, and a structured home exercise program.
Gedragsmatig: Conventional Pelvic Floor Muscle Training
Participants will perform supervised pelvic floor muscle exercises including slow sustained contractions and rapid contractions without biofeedback guidance. Exercise frequency, duration, and progression will be matched to the experimental group.

Wat meet het onderzoek?

Primaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)
Tijdsspanne: Baseline, 8 weeks, and 3-month follow-up
Female sexual function will be assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a validated multidimensional questionnaire evaluating sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain domains. Total scores range from 2 to 36, with lower scores indicating greater sexual dysfunction.
Baseline, 8 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

Secundaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Pelvic Floor Electromyographic Activity
Tijdsspanne: Baseline, 8 weeks, and 3-month follow-up
Resting pelvic floor muscle activity, maximal voluntary contraction amplitude, and average contraction amplitude will be recorded in microvolts (µV) using intravaginal surface electromyography (sEMG). Resting activity will reflect baseline pelvic floor muscle tone during relaxation, while maximal voluntary contraction amplitude and average contraction amplitude will reflect pelvic floor muscle activation strength and recruitment during voluntary contractions. Average values obtained from three maximal voluntary contractions will be used for statistical analysis.
Baseline, 8 weeks, and 3-month follow-up
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
Tijdsspanne: Baseline, 8 weeks, and 3-month follow-up
Psychological well-being will be assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a validated self-reported questionnaire consisting of 14 items divided into two subscales assessing anxiety and depression symptoms. Each subscale score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater psychological distress. Scores of 0-7 are considered normal, 8-10 indicate borderline abnormal symptoms, and 11-21 indicate clinically significant anxiety or depression.
Baseline, 8 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

Medewerkers en onderzoekers

Hier vindt u mensen en organisaties die betrokken zijn bij dit onderzoek.

Sponsor

Beni-Suef University

Studie record data

Deze datums volgen de voortgang van het onderzoeksdossier en de samenvatting van de ingediende resultaten bij ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieverslagen en gerapporteerde resultaten worden beoordeeld door de National Library of Medicine (NLM) om er zeker van te zijn dat ze voldoen aan specifieke kwaliteitscontrolenormen voordat ze op de openbare website worden geplaatst.

Bestudeer belangrijke data

Studie start (Werkelijk)

19 mei 2026

Primaire voltooiing (Geschat)

15 maart 2027

Studie voltooiing (Geschat)

31 maart 2027

Studieregistratiedata

Eerst ingediend

13 mei 2026

Eerst ingediend dat voldeed aan de QC-criteria

13 mei 2026

Eerst geplaatst (Werkelijk)

19 mei 2026

Updates van studierecords

Laatste update geplaatst (Werkelijk)

20 mei 2026

Laatste update ingediend die voldeed aan QC-criteria

18 mei 2026

Laatst geverifieerd

1 mei 2026

Meer informatie

Termen gerelateerd aan deze studie

Trefwoorden

Aanvullende relevante MeSH-voorwaarden

Andere studie-ID-nummers

  • Radiotherapy FSD 2026

Plan Individuele Deelnemersgegevens (IPD)

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ONBESLIST

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Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd geneesmiddel

Nee

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd apparaatproduct

Nee

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