Vaginal Cancer
Vaginal cancer is a rare kind of cancer that occurs in women. Malignant cancer cells are found in the tissue of the vagina. Symptoms of Vaginal cancer are: bleeding or discharge not related to menstrual periods, difficult or painful urination, or pain in the pelvic area. There are several different types of Vaginal cancer. They are: squamous cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas, malignant melanomas, and sarcomas.
Each different type of Vaginal cancer is caused by something different. For instance, squamous cell carcinomas vaginal cancer is caused by some sort of precancerous change that happened during the women’s life before she was ever diagnosed with Vaginal cancer. On the other hand, adenocarcinomas vaginal cancer is caused by a drug Diethylstilbestrol, a prescribed drug that was given to women who were expected to have a increased risk of miscarriage during the time period of the 1940s through the very early 1970s. As an after affect, young women who were exposed to adenocarcinomas while still mother’s womb, were often diagnosed with this type of Vaginal cancer.
Endometrial vaginal cancer develops in the endometrial lining of the uterus. In all, about 35,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the US, and 4,000-5,000 women die. Endometrial Vaginal cancer occurs in postmenopausal women, around 60 years of age, and most of these women who are diagnosed, are Caucasian. The endometrium contains several layers of cells that vary in appearance and amount to a woman’s menstrual cycle. Certain cells undergo increased cell division, in response to estrogen. This leads researchers to believe that estrogen plays a huge role in the development of endometrial cancer. The most important symptom for endometrial cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding, or postmenstrual bleeding.
Also, malignant melanoma cancer, while usually found on sun-exposed
areas of the skin, is occasionally found growing on the vagina or
other internal organs. So be sure to get a regular cancer check
to help prevent these kinds of vaginal cancers.