Cervix, vulva, and vagina

Abstract

In the United States and other developed countries, remarkable progress has been made in the prevention and treatment of cancer of the female lower genital track. Cervical cancer is still the most prevalent of the lower genital tract cancers, followed by vulvar cancer and finally vaginal cancer, which is quite rare. Unfortunately, invasive cervical carcinoma remains one of the most common causes of cancer death for women in the developing world. On a global basis, cervical cancer remains a significant health problem, with 500,000 new cases occurring each year and an annual death rate of 230,000 worldwide.1 In the United States, approximately 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed each year and only 4,500 deaths due to cervical cancer. This stark contrast between the low number of cases in the United States and tragic number of cases in the developing world is primarily a reflection of the effectiveness of screening for and treating preinvasive cervical disease. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.