What are the causes of vaginal tumors?

Each type of tumor is mostly divided into benign and malignant, and the same is true for vaginal tumors. For example, some leiomyomas, vaginal fibromas, and fat angiomas are all benign. Generally, there are no obvious symptoms or discomfort. Many people are diagnosed during physical examinations. Mild cases do not require treatment. Malignant tumors are mostly metastases of other cancers, such as cervical cancer or endometrial cancer, which are caused by the metastasis of cancer cells from surrounding tissues.

symptom

Clinical manifestations: The cysts may be segmented or multiple, and vary in size, generally 2 to 3 cm in diameter, with a smooth, fixed appearance and a cystic feel to the touch. This cyst is often small and has no clinical significance, but occasionally it can grow very large and cause difficulty or pain in sexual intercourse, or even hinder childbirth. It sometimes compresses the bladder trigone and causes increased urination frequency. In rare cases, its long, cord-like pedicle can cause bowel distortion and obstruction. The contents of the cyst are mostly watery, serous or milky white liquid, and some are dark brown. Its color and viscosity vary depending on the presence or absence of intracystic bleeding and the amount of bleeding. According to the main clinical manifestations of vaginal malignant tumors, such as irregular vaginal bleeding, increased vaginal secretions, and vaginal tumors, it belongs to the category of "stagnation disease", "metrorrhagia", and "syndrome" in traditional Chinese medicine.

Clinical manifestations of primary vaginal squamous cell carcinoma: There are no obvious symptoms in the early stage, and then about 60% of patients have painless bleeding in their medical history, and 20% have increased leucorrhea with or without blood staining. When the nodules become necrotic and ulcerate, watery or bloody discharge, irregular vaginal bleeding, bleeding during sexual intercourse, or postmenopausal bleeding may occur. If there is concurrent infection, there will be foul-smelling discharge. In advanced patients, when the tumor invades the nerves or pelvis, pain in the lower abdomen, waist and legs may occur; if it erodes the bladder, there may be frequent urination, painful urination, difficulty urinating and hematuria. When the cancer compresses or invades the rectum, anal swelling, painful defecation, and constipation may occur. Sometimes the cancer thickens and hardens along the vaginal walls, narrowing the vaginal cavity. As vaginal tumors continue to develop, vesicovaginal fistulas or rectovaginal fistulas may eventually form.

pathology

The cause of vaginal tumors remains unknown. Epidemiological data studies believe that the following factors are related.

1. Chronic irritation: Primary vaginal squamous cell carcinoma often occurs in the posterior vagina, which is believed to be related to the long-term use of pessaries, vaginal leukoplakia or local inflammatory irritation in patients with uterine prolapse.

2. Pelvic radiotherapy: More than 20% of patients with primary vaginal cancer have a history of pelvic radiotherapy. It is generally believed that vaginal cytological dysplasia or vaginal cancer may occur 10 to 40 years after radiotherapy for cervical cancer. The incidence of vaginal cancer is higher in women under 40 who have undergone pelvic radiotherapy.

3. Viral infection: Human papilloma, especially types 16 and 18, may be considered as the initiating factor of vaginal malignancy.

4. Immunosuppression: Patients with congenital, acquired, or artificial immunosuppression have a higher incidence of cancer. Vaginal cancer is no exception, and its incidence is higher in immunosuppressed patients.

5. Estrogen deficiency: Vaginal squamous cell carcinoma is more common in elderly women, which may be related to the low estrogen level after menopause, which leads to atrophy of the vaginal mucosal epithelium and creates favorable conditions for carcinogenic factors.

6. It is recently believed that vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma is related to endogenous and exogenous estrogens.

7. It is speculated that vaginal endodermal sinus tumor may be caused by the lack of embryonic tissue conductor during the decisive period of germ cell migration, resulting in the misplacement of germ cells into the upper part of the vagina.