From breast cancer to cervical cancer these are the types of cancers that women are more prone to have or be familiar with. Vaginal cancer is a rare cancer that occurs in your vagina the, muscular tube that connects your uterus with your outer genitals. Vaginal cancer most commonly occurs in the cells that line the surface of your vagina, which is sometimes called the birth canal. While several cancers can spread to your vagina from other places in your body, cancer that begins in your vagina (primary vaginal cancer) is rare.
Women with early-stage vaginal cancer have the best chance for a cure. Vaginal cancer that spreads beyond the vagina is much more difficult to treat. mayoclinic (mayoclinic. com) Vaginal cancer often does not cause early symptoms and may be found during a routine Pap test. When symptoms occur they may be caused by vaginal cancer or by other conditions. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur bleeding or discharge not related to menstrual periods, pain during sexual intercourse, pain in the pelvic area and a lump in the vagina.
Tests that examine the vagina and other organs in the pelvis are used to detect (find) and diagnose vaginal cancer. The tests and procedures that can be done are a physical exam, pelvic exam, biopsy, and a colposcopy. md (mdweb. com) Every woman is different and deals with her diagnoses in her own way, learning more about your cancer to make choices about your treatment is very important.
Definitions * Uterus: /uter·us/ (u? ter-us) pl. u? teri [L.] the hollow muscular organ in female mammals in which the blastocyst normally becomes embedded and in which the developing embryo and fetus is nourished. Its cavity opens into the vagina below and into a uterine tube on either side. * Cancer: Cancer is not just one disease, but a large group of almost 100 diseases. Its two main characteristics are uncontrolled growth of the cells in the human body and the ability of these cells to migrate from the original site and spread to distant sites.
If the spread is not controlled, cancer can result in death. * Pap test: The Pap test is a procedure in which a physician scrapes cells from the cervix or vagina to check for cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, or abnormal changes that could lead to cancer. It often is called a “Pap smear. ” * Vagina: 1. The genital canal in the female, leading from the opening of the vulva to the cervix of the uterus. 2. A sheath like anatomical structure. * Pelvic: Inferior area of the abdominopelvic cavity.
* Menstruation: The periodic discharge from the vagina of blood and tissues from a nonpregnant uterus; the culmination of the menstrual cycle. Menstruation occurs every 28 days or so between puberty and menopause, except during pregnancy, and the flow lasts about 5 days, the times varying from woman to woman. * Physical Examination: A physical examination is an evaluation of the body and its functions using inspection, palpation (feeling with the hands), percussion (tapping with the fingers), and auscultation (listening).
A complete health assessment also includes gathering information about a person’s medical history and lifestyle, doing laboratory tests, and screening for disease. * Pelvic Examination: physical assessment of the internal pelvic organs. It includes inspection with a speculum, a papnicolaou smear, bimanual palpation, and a rectovaginal examination. * Biopsy: /bi·op·sy/ (bi? op-se) removal and examination, usually microscopic, of tissue from the living body, performed to establish precise diagnosis.
* Colposcopy: Colposcopy is a procedure that allows a physician to take a closer look at a woman’s cervix and vagina using a special instrument called a colposcope. It is used to check for precancerous or abnormal areas. The colposcope can magnify the area between 10 and 40 times; some devices also can take photographs. Citations 1. Mayoclinic (mayoclinic. com) date retrieved 2/12/13 2. Mdweb (mdweb. com) date retrieved 2/12/13 3. Medicaldictionary (medicaldictionary. com) date retrieved 2/12/13.