Preventing And Treating Vaginal Cancer

Preventing and treating vaginal cancer.

The vagina is the tube that connects the mouth and neck of the uterus with the outside of the body. Cancers that attack the vagina is usually found in the vaginal canal or on the wall of the vagina.

This cancer generally affects women who enter menopause. Yet it does not mean young women affected by this disease is not possible. Also a major risk faced by women who do not maintain the cleanliness of the vagina as well as women who frequent sexual intercourse mutually exchange partner.

The vagina is 7.5 to 10 cm along the channel, its upper end connected to the cervix / lowest part of the uterus, while its lower end connected to the vulva.

Vaginal wall lined by epithelium that is formed from squamous cells. Under the epithelium there is connective tissue, involuntary muscles, lymph nodes and innervation. The walls of the vagina have many folds that help to keep it open during vaginal intercourse or childbirth takes place.

There are several types of vaginal cancer:

1. Squamous cell carcinoma (85-90%).

• Derived from the epithelium lining the vagina. More commonly found in the upper vagina.
• Squamous carcinoma is usually found in women aged 60-80 years.
• Verukosa carcinoma is a type of squamous cell carcinoma is slow growing. These carcinomas grow toward the vaginal cavity and look like warts or cauliflower.

2. Adenocarcinoma (5-10%).

• Adenocarcinoma is most common in women aged 12-30 years.

3. Malignant melanoma (2-3%).

• Derived from pigment-producing cells, were more common in the lower vagina.

4. Sarcoma (2-3%).

• This cancer grows deep within the vaginal wall, rather than the epithelium.
• There are several types of sarcomas, the most frequently found is leiomiosarkoma, who attacked women aged 50 years and over.
• Rabdomiosarkoma is a cancer in childhood, usually occurring before the age of 3 years. Their cells are similar to voluntary muscle cells, which is a network which under normal circumstances not found in the vaginal wall.
• Squamous cell carcinomas do not grow all of a sudden, this cancer develops over many years from a precancerous changes called vaginal intraepithelial neoplasi vagina.

The cause of vaginal cancer:
-The menopause.
-The habit of smoking.
-Women develop cervical cancer.
-Women who love sex couples mutually.
-First sexual intercourse during teenage years (adolescents).
-Infection with HPV (human papilloma virus).

Risk factor for vaginal cancer:

1. Of age.

• Approximately 50% of patients with squamous carcinoma were women aged 60 years and older.
• Most cases of vaginal cancer found in women aged 50-70 years.

2. DES (diethylstilbestrol).

• DES is a hormonal drug that is widely used in 1940-1970 to prevent miscarriage in pregnant women.
• As many as 1 in 1000 women whose mothers took DES, suffered a net cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina maupun cervix. The highest risk occurs if the mother take DES at 16 weeks gestation.

3. Vaginal adenosis.

• Under normal circumstances the vagina is covered by flat cells called squamous cells.
• In about 40% of women who have experienced menstruation, the vagina can be found certain areas covered by cells similar to cells found in the uterine glands and lining the bottom of the uterus. This situation is called adenosis.
• This happens in almost all women exposed to DES during fetal development.

4. Infection with HPV (human papilloma virus).

• HPV is the virus that causes genital warts are transmitted through sexual contact.

As for symptoms or signs of vaginal cancer is, sufferers may also experience vaginal bleeding (often after sexual intercourse) or watery discharge from her vagina. Vaginal cancer causes damage to the lining of the vagina and cause the formation of open sores that can bleed and become infected.If a large cancer can affect the function of the bladder and rectum so that the patient experiencing urgency to urinate and pain when urinating. Abnormal discharge from the vagina, there was a lump, pain during sexual intercourse. In advanced cancer will arise pain when urinating, constipation and persistent pelvic pain.

As for how to prevent vaginal cancer are:

1.  Maintain cleanliness of the vagina. Wash the outside of the vagina with clean warm water. avoid the use of products such as vaginal cleaning fluid or powder. Remember douching will make the pH of the vagina become imbalanced and off commensal bacteria (bacteria that live in the vagina) which is a "keeper" of the vagina.

2. Health examination. Every women are encouraged to do regular checks to avoid the development of cancer cells. Since the development of this disease runs in stages and take many years, so if it is not detected from the beginning of this virus can continue to grow without being able to be prevented again.

Treatment of vaginal cancer:

Treatment and treatment of vaginal cancer depends on the severity. Wide local excision can be performed (removal of the cancer and some surrounding tissue is then performed skin grafting), Vaginektomi (removal of the vagina). eksenterasi (removal of the cervix, uterus, vagina and bladder), the provision of cancer drugs (chemotherapy), radiation (radiotherapy).