engleski

Radiation therapy for vaginal cancer

Among all neoplasms of the female genital system, cancer of the vagina accounts for 1-3% with its incidence rate remaining unchanged in the last few decades. A majority of vaginal neoplasia refer to squamous cell carcinoma, followed by melanoma. In diagnosing for vaginal cancer, the presence of cervical and vulvar carcinoma should be excluded. The peek of incidence of vaginal cancer has been reported in females over 60 years of age. Both non-invasive (VAIN, vaginal intraepithelial neoplasm and CIS, carcinoma in situ) and earliest invasive forms of vaginal cancer may be treated either with surgical excision, partial or total vaginectomy, laser vaporization, intravaginal administration of 5-fluorouracil or brachytherapy. All other forms of vaginal cancer should be submitted to pelvix exenteration, that is a particulary mutilating surgical procedure with consequences of psychosocial and psychosexual nature. For a majority of vaginal cancer patients, radiation therapy remains therefore the only form of cancer management. Radiotherapy and brachytherapy techniques are employed along with concomitant chemotherapy whenever possible. Foe the low incidence of the disease, there is no standard therapy approach, so treatment should be performed in highly specialized centers with experience in the treatment of vaginal cancer.

Vaginal cancer; teletherapy; brachytherapy

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