Vulvovaginal Graft-versus-Host Disease: Diagnosis and Microbiome Evaluation
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Vulvovaginal Symptom Questionnaire, Vaginal Microbiome Evaluation.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Graft Vs Host Disease, Vulvovaginal Signs and Symptoms. Basic parameters: 18 years — 70 years · Female.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
The goal of this observational study is to investigate the development of vulvovaginal graft-versus-host- disease (GVHD), an under-reported and under-recognized manifestation of chronic GVHD. This study aims to characterize the vaginal microbiome in participants undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the vaginal microbiome altered during allogeneic HCT? * What changes may help researchers understand the development of vulvovaginal GVHD? Participants will be asked to undergo an assessment of vulvovaginal symptoms through a vulvovaginal symptom questionnaire once pre-transplant, 6 months post-transplant, and twelve12 months post- transplant. Participants will also be asked to undergo a vaginal microbiome (collection of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live on our bodies) evaluation through a vaginal exam performed by a gynecologist with collection of vaginal samples once pre-transplant and again six months post-treatment and twelve months post-transplant. If a participant develops symptoms of vulvovaginal GVHD at any point in time during the post-transplant follow up, the participant may partake in additional vaginal exams to diagnose GVHD at the time of symptom onset.
Detailed description
Recent advances in technologies including high throughput metagenomic 16S rRNA gene sequencing have revealed a larger, more complex picture of the bacterial diversity in the genital tract and unique microbial communities not previously recognized among the known vaginal flora categories. Little is known about how the vaginal microbiome protects the female genital tract or other roles it may have, including interacting with the microbiota of other body sites and subsequent inflammatory responses. Alteration of vaginal flora may play a part in the pathogenesis of diseases by modulating immunity or increasing the growth of pathogenic strains. Recent research has been conducted regarding changes in the vaginal microbiome during various infectious and inflammatory states such as bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually transmitted infectious, and pregnancy. However, the vaginal microbiome during allogeneic HCT and development of genital GVHD has yet to be examined. Thus, the role of the vaginal microbiome in the development of genital GVHD is a critical area of study.
Interventions
- Other Vulvovaginal Symptom Questionnaire
Participants will undergo assessment of vulvovaginal symptoms via the vulvovaginal questionnaire once pre-transplant, six months, and develop months post-transplant. - Diagnostic test Vaginal Microbiome Evaluation
A vaginal microbiome evaluation will be performed via vaginal exam by a gynecologist with collection of vaginal samples once pre-transplant, six months, and twelve months post-transplant.
Primary outcome measures
- Characterize the vaginal microbiome profile of female participants undergoing allogeneic HCT [Time frame: Up to twelve months post-transplant]
- Characterize the change in vaginal microbiome profile of female participants undergoing allogeneic HCT [Time frame: Up to twelve months post-transplant]
- Incidence of vulvovaginal GVHD [Time frame: Up to twelve months post-transplant]
Secondary outcome measures (1)
- Characterize the differences in vaginal microbiome between participants who develop vulvovaginal GVHS versus those who do not [Time frame: Up to twelve months post-transplant]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Female participants planning to undergo allogeneic HCT for any disease indication, OR, female participants who have already received HCT and have developed vulvovaginal GVHD during their post-transplant follow-up period
- All conditioning regimens (myeloablative or reduced intensity) will be included.
- All donor sources (HLA matched/mismatched related, unrelated, umbilical cord, haploidentical) will be included.
- All graft sources (bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells) will be included.
- All GVHD prophylaxis regimens will be included.
- Aged 18-70.
- English speaking and able to sign written informed consent.
- Participants agree to a vaginal gynecologic exam.
- Co-enrollment on other clinical trials will be allowed.
Exclusion criteria
- Participants who decline or unable to undergo vaginal gynecologic exam due to any discomfort or pain.
- Any concurrent medical, psychiatric or other illness in which the provider believes the participants may not be able to comply with study assessments.
- Participants with a current diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) (Herpes Simplex Virus, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Trichomonas,) or a history of previously untreated STI which may incite inflammation that will impact the microbiome.
- Participants with a history of lichen sclerosis, lichen planus, pre-transplant.
- Participants with a history or current diagnosis of vaginal or vulvar malignancy.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center — Cleveland
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06649201 · CASE2Z24