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Vaginal cancer results from HPV infections such as genital warts as well. Read on to know its kinds, causes, symptoms as well as procedures to diagnose the disease.
Vaginal cancer is yet another painful disease encountered by women. It is a condition where cancer cells appear in the vagina. It is considered one of the most usual diseases affecting women and when early detected. Since genital warts are commonly seen on the private part, the disease is linked with vaginal cancer as well.
What are the kinds of vaginal cancer? Are there causes or risk factors that lead to the event? What are the most common symptoms to detect the problem? Are there procedures required to qualify one’s case? Here are the answers to these questions.
Kinds of vaginal cancer
Vaginal cancer takes two forms. Below are the explanations for each kind:
• Squamous cell carcinoma. This is a kind of vaginal cancer that appears in the coating of the vagina. It gradually resides close to the vagina, but it can also proliferate to the lungs and liver. This t usually affects women who are in their 60’s.
• Adecarcinoma. This is a kind of vaginal cancer that starts in glandular cells in the inside layers of the vagina. Glandular cells produce and release liquid mucus. This cancer may spread to the lungs and lymph nodes and usually affects women below 30.
Causes and risk factors of vaginal cancer
Take a look at the causes of vaginal cancer:
• Age. This is the most common risk factor to vaginal cancer especially if the woman reaches her 60’s.
• Diethylstilbestrol. This is a kind of drug that is being taken by women who want to prevent miscarriage, but can lead to vaginal cancer.
• HPV infection. This is the most common cause of some types of cancer affecting the reproductive system of both men and women.
• Family history. If you have a family history of irregular growth of cells in the cervix, it is most likely that you will acquire vaginal cancer.
Symptoms of vaginal cancer
Vaginal cancer does not usually show initial symptoms but it may be determined through the Pap smear test. A doctor’s visit is required with the irregular vaginal bleeding or discharge that is not connected to menstruation. The same thing should be done for pain during sexual contact and swelling of the vagina.
Diagnosing vaginal cancer
In order to determine whether one ahs vaginal cancer or not, the following procedures are conducted by doctors:
• Physical exam. This gives the doctor a look at past medical records as well as hygiene habits of the patient.
• Pelvic exam. This involves testing the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and rectum.
• Pap smear. This technique requires taking cell samples from the surface of the cervix and vagina. After which, abnormalities are checked under the microscope.
• Biopsy. This is required if the pap smear test result does not show any irregularities from the cells in the vagina.
While vaginal cancer is an issue which every woman faces, it is important to look at the things behind the disease. Simple genital warts and other anogenital infections may lead to the problem. With risk factors and symptoms indicated above, you should go to your doctor at once.
Tags: biopsy, genital warts, HPV infections, pap smear, pelvic exam, vaginal cancer
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