Squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina: a report of 32 cases

Between 1982 and 1992, 32 patients with squamous cell vaginal cancer were treated. Fourteen patients had stage I, 11 stage II, two stage III and five stage IV disease. The mean age of stage I and II patients was 64, of stage III and IV patients 73. Six patients were pessary-bearing, two had a total procidentia, eight had been treated for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), one for cervical cancer and one for vulvar cancer 5-21 years before diagnosis. One patient had had external irradiation for endometrial cancer 15 years before. Nine patients had no follow-up examinations after treatment for CIN, for vulvar cancer or after insertion of a pessary. In 14 patients doctors' or patients' delays were considerable. Most patients presented with vaginal discharge or bleeding, and urinary symptoms. Various treatment modalities were used. The selected patients who could be treated by surgery did best. Only patients with a stage I tumor or a stage II tumor with a diameter of at most 30 mm survived. Tumor stage and tumor diameter were the important prognostic factors. No patient died of disease after 33 months. Failure in obtaining local control was the usual cause of death. Recommendations for prevention or early diagnosis are formulated.