Title : Immunotherapy with StroVac in the management of post-radiation cystitis and recurrent urinary infections among cervical cancer survivors
Abstract:
Post-radiation cystitis is a common and challenging late complication among women treated for cervical cancer, frequently associated with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and reduced quality of life. Conventional antibiotic therapy often fails to provide long-term control due to bacterial resistance and impaired local immunity. This observational study evaluated the potential benefit of immunotherapy using the polyvalent bacterial vaccine StroVac in this patient population.
In 2024, 27 women aged 35–68 years with chronic post-radiation cystitis and multiple recurrent bacterial infections resistant to standard antibiotic regimens were enrolled. Each patient received a full intramuscular vaccination course of StroVac according to the manufacturer’s protocol. Clinical symptoms, recurrence rate of UTIs, and quality of life were assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months following immunization. At 6 months, 24 of 27 patients (84%) reported significant improvement in urinary symptoms, with a 70% reduction in UTI recurrence compared to the pre- treatment period. No severe adverse reactions were recorded; mild local injection-site reactions occurred in 7 cases. Quality of life scores improved in 24 patients. These findings suggest that StroVac immunotherapy may offer a safe and effective adjunctive treatment for post-radiation cystitis and recurrent UTIs in cervical cancer survivors. Further controlled, multicenter studies are warranted to confirm these results and to establish immunization-based strategies in this patient group.
Keywords: StroVac, Azerbaijan, post-radiation cystitis, cervical cancer, recurrent urinary infection, immunotherapy, vaccination.
