Vaginal cancer pathophysiology: Difference between revisions
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==Pathophysiology== | ==Pathophysiology== | ||
Vaginal cancer is a rare type of cancer that affects women. The vagina is a tube-like organ that connects the cervix (the lower part of the uterus) to the vulva (the outside female genitals). The vagina is lined by a layer of flat cells called squamous cells. This layer of cells is also called epithelium because it is formed by epithelial cells. At birth, a baby passes through the vagina as he or she is born, so the vagina is sometimes also known as the birth canal. | :*Vaginal cancer is a rare type of cancer that affects women. | ||
Women who have the human papillomavirus (HPV) are more likely than other women to develop this rare cancer. Women who have been infected with herpes simplex virus are also at higher risk for vaginal cancer. | :*The vagina is a tube-like organ that connects the cervix (the lower part of the uterus) to the vulva (the outside female genitals). | ||
:*The vagina is lined by a layer of flat cells called squamous cells. | |||
:*This layer of cells is also called epithelium because it is formed by epithelial cells. | |||
*At birth, a baby passes through the vagina as he or she is born, so the vagina is sometimes also known as the birth canal. | |||
:*Women who have the human papillomavirus (HPV) are more likely than other women to develop this rare cancer. | |||
:*Women who have been infected with herpes simplex virus are also at higher risk for vaginal cancer. | |||
:*If a woman’s mother took a medicine called diethylstilbestrol (DES) when she was pregnant between 1940 and 1971. | |||
:*Women whose mothers took DES – known as DES daughters – develop clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the :*vagina or cervix more often than women in the general population. | |||
:*Lesions characteristically arise from the posterior wall of the upper third of the vagina. The common patterns of disease are: | |||
* An ulcerating or fungating mass or | * An ulcerating or fungating mass or | ||
* An annular constricting lesion | * An annular constricting lesion | ||
Vaginal [[squamous cell carcinoma]] arises from the thin, flat [[squamous cell]]s that line the vagina. | :*Vaginal [[squamous cell carcinoma]] arises from the thin, flat [[squamous cell]]s that line the vagina. | ||
Vaginal [[adenocarcinoma]] arises from the glandular (secretory) cells in the lining of the vagina that produce some vaginal fluids. | :*Vaginal [[adenocarcinoma]] arises from the glandular (secretory) cells in the lining of the vagina that produce some vaginal fluids. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 15:12, 15 January 2019
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Vaginal cancer Microchapters |
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Vaginal cancer pathophysiology On the Web |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Vaginal cancer pathophysiology |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
On gross pathology, an ulcerating or fungating mass, or an annular constricting lesion is characteristic finding of vaginal cancer.
Pathophysiology
- Vaginal cancer is a rare type of cancer that affects women.
- The vagina is a tube-like organ that connects the cervix (the lower part of the uterus) to the vulva (the outside female genitals).
- The vagina is lined by a layer of flat cells called squamous cells.
- This layer of cells is also called epithelium because it is formed by epithelial cells.
- At birth, a baby passes through the vagina as he or she is born, so the vagina is sometimes also known as the birth canal.
- Women who have the human papillomavirus (HPV) are more likely than other women to develop this rare cancer.
- Women who have been infected with herpes simplex virus are also at higher risk for vaginal cancer.
- If a woman’s mother took a medicine called diethylstilbestrol (DES) when she was pregnant between 1940 and 1971.
- Women whose mothers took DES – known as DES daughters – develop clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the :*vagina or cervix more often than women in the general population.
- Lesions characteristically arise from the posterior wall of the upper third of the vagina. The common patterns of disease are:
- An ulcerating or fungating mass or
- An annular constricting lesion
- Vaginal squamous cell carcinoma arises from the thin, flat squamous cells that line the vagina.
- Vaginal adenocarcinoma arises from the glandular (secretory) cells in the lining of the vagina that produce some vaginal fluids.