Squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina

Abstract

Malignant involvement of the vagina occurs most commonly from metastatic spread and the most common sites of metastatic disease are from direct local invasion from the female urogenital tract. Primary vaginal carcinoma should only be diagnosed if other gynecological malignancies have been excluded. Primary vaginal carcinomas are defined as arising solely from the vagina with no involvement of the external cervical os superiorly or the vulva inferiorly (Beller et al. 2006). The importance of this definition lies in the different clinical approaches in the treatment of cervical and vulval carcinoma.