Does immune activation enhance epithelial nerve growth in provoked vestibulodynia?
Excessive epithelial nerve growth in provoked vestibulodynia is associated with increased B-cell infiltration and the presence of germinal centers. This supports the fundamental role of immune activation in provoked vestibulodynia.
The results demonstrated that the level of VEGF affects response to endocrine therapy independent of steroid hormone receptor status and may help to refine further the indication for this treatment in individual patients. Further studies are warranted to explain this underlying resistance to endocrine therapy.