Vaginal cancer: Information from Answers.com

Vaginal cancer
Classification and external resources
ICD-10	C 52.
DiseasesDB	13693
MedlinePlus	001510
eMedicine	med/3330
MeSH	D014625

Vaginal cancer is any type of cancer that forms in the tissues of the vagina. Vaginal cancer is not common. It occurs primarily in women over age 50, but can occur at any age, even in infancy. When found and treated in early stages (see cancer staging), it often can be cured.

1 Types of vaginal cancer
2 Signs and Symptoms
3 Diagnosis
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

Types of vaginal cancer

There are two primary types of vaginal cancer: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.^[1]

Vaginal squamous cell carcinoma arises from the thin, flat squamous cells that line the vagina. This is the most common type of vaginal cancer. It is found most often in women aged 60 or older.
Vaginal adenocarcinoma arises from the glandular (secretory) cells in the lining of the vagina that produce some vaginal fluids. Adenocarcinoma is more likely than squamous cell cancer to spread to the lungs and lymph nodes. It is found most often in women aged 30 or younger. It is also found in a small percent of women born between 1938 and 1971 that were exposed to the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES). DES was prescribed to 5 to 10 million mothers in that timespan to prevent possible miscarriages and premature birth. ^[2] Typically, patients present with adenocarcinoma before age 30, but increasing evidence indicates effects in later years as well. DES-exposed patients may also suffer various infertility and pregnancy complications as well.^[3]

There are also less common forms of vaginal cancer:

Vaginal germ cell tumors (primarily teratoma and endodermal sinus tumor) are rare. They are found most often in infants and children.
Sarcoma botryoides, a rhabdomyosarcoma also is found most often in infants and children.

Signs and Symptoms

Often there are no symptoms, and cancer is found through a routine gynecologic exam. If there are symptoms, they are commonly abnormal vaginal bleeding, which may be postcoital, intermenstrual, prepubertal, or postmenopausal.^[4] Other, less specific signs include difficult or painful urination, pain during intercourse, and pain in the pelvic area.