Due to scratching, this can lead to a thickening (or lichenification) of underlying tissues of the vulva alongside a thinning of the skin. Lichen sclerosus: This is an uncomfortable condition characterized by chronic itchiness of the vulva due to irritation.If this cyst is infected, it can continue to grow to form an abscess. Bartholin cyst and abscess: Occasionally, a cyst can form in the Bartholin’s glands, affecting its ability to secrete necessary hormones.Highly treatable, this is often the result of the bacteria Escherichia coil. This leads to symptoms like increased need to urinate, pain during urination, and cloudy and foul-smelling urine, among others. Urinary tract infection (UTI): A very common condition, UTI is a bacterial infection of the urethra.Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide. It helps explain the number of people who are diagnosed with vaginal cancer and general survival rates. The next section in this guide is Statistics. There are several types of these rare tumors that can start in the vagina. Melanoma often appears as a dark-colored lesion with irregular borders. Melanomas are usually found on skin in parts of the body commonly exposed to the sun, but it can occasionally develop where there is no sun exposure. Although it is rare, melanoma can begin in the vagina. It is estimated that 1 out of 1,000 people exposed to DES will develop vaginal cancer. This cancer occurs in people whose mothers took the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) during pregnancy between the late 1940s and 1971. It makes up about 5% to 10% of vaginal cancers.Ĭlear cell adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma begins in the vaginal gland tissue. It develops slowly through the precancerous condition called vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia or VaIN, described above.Īdenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma makes up about 85% of vaginal cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma can develop in the cells lining the vagina, most often in the area closest to the cervix. There are 5 primary types of cancer that begin in the vagina. A benign tumor is a tumor that can grow but will not spread.Ībout 85% of cancers that involve the vagina have actually spread from other parts of the body, and about half of these are from the cervix or uterus. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. Vaginal cancer begins when healthy cells in the vagina change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a tumor. Vaginal cancer is an uncommon cancer of the female reproductive system, also called gynecologic cancer. Laser surgery is the use of a focused beam of light that burns the precancerous lesion off the vaginal wall. The treatment for these potentially precancerous lesions includes surgical removal, laser surgery, medications such as topical estrogen, and making lifestyle changes, including stopping cigarette smoking. Usually, these lesions are associated with human papillomavirus, also called HPV (see Risk Factors and Prevention). These abnormal cells are often found with cervical dysplasia, also known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), a precancerous lesion of the cervix. Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN), or vaginal dysplasia, is a condition in which abnormal cells in the vagina can become cancer in some people. Underneath the epithelium, the vaginal wall is made up of connective tissue, involuntary muscle tissue, lymph vessels, and nerves. The vaginal walls have a thin layer of cells called the epithelium, which contains cells called squamous epithelial cells. The vaginal lining is kept moist by mucus released from glands in the cervix. The walls have many folds that allow the vagina to open and expand during sexual intercourse and vaginal childbirth. Usually, the vagina is in a collapsed position with its walls touching. It is connected to the cervix, which is the opening of the uterus or womb, and to the vulva, which are folds of skin around the vaginal opening. The vagina or birth canal is the opening through which menstrual blood leaves the body and babies are born. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Vaginal Cancer. ON THIS PAGE: You will find basic information about this disease and the parts of the body it may affect.
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