- Accounts for 1% of gynaecologic malignancies. Peak incidence is from age 45 to 65.
Clinical Features
- There is post-coital bleeding
- Dyspareunia
- Watery discharge
- Urinary frequency or urgency
- painful defecation.
Cancers are commonly found in the upper part of the vagina on posterior wall. Speculum and digital examination reveals
growth in the vaginal wall.
Investigations
- Pap smear: Reveals carcinomatous cells
- Schiller’s test
- Biopsy
Management
- Depends on location and extent of the disease
- A tumour localized in the upper 1/3 of the vagina is treated either by radical hysterectomy with upper vaginectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection or with radium and external radiotherapy
- Treatment of secondary carcinomas and 10 carcinoma is usually combined and may be either radiotherapy or radical surgery. The 5-year survival rate without recurrence is about 30%.