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Primary squamous cell carcinoma in a patient with vaginal agenesis
J Y Bobin1, C Zinzindohoue, T Naba
1Department of Surgical Oncology, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Lyon-Sud, Pierre-Bénite Cedex, 69495, France.
Background:
The development of a carcinoma in a neovagina constructed in patients with congenital vaginal agenesis is rare.
Case:
To our knowledge, this is the first report of a squamous cell carcinoma developing in a neovagina that had been constructed by a simple cleavage technique without tissue transplantation. The latency period between reconstruction and tumor diagnosis was 20 years, during which the patient regularly used a prosthesis. The most important observation during this time was the repeated formation of granulation tissue and chronic inflammatory pseudopolyps in the neovagina, which were removed by cauterization. Despite pre- and intraoperative irradiation and radical surgery followed by chemotherapy, the prognosis is poor.
Conclusion:
Patients with neovaginas, whatever the construction technique, need to be followed up regularly, as mechanical irritation from a prosthesis can add to other cancer risk factors, such as viral infection. Furthermore, the absence of transplanted tissue does not seem to protect from the risk.