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Vaginal tumors are neoplasms (tumors) found in the vagina. They can be benign or malignant (vaginal cancer). A neoplasm is an abnormal growth of tissue that usually forms a tissue mass. Vaginal neoplasms are divided into cystic or solid lesions and other mixed types. Vaginal cancers are malignant neoplasms that originate from vaginal epithelium, while vaginal tumors develop from non-epithelial cells.
The terms mass and nodule are often used synonymously with tumor. Generally speaking, however, the term tumor is used generically, without reference to the physical size of the lesion. More specifically, the term mass is often used when the lesion has a maximal diameter of at least 20 millimeters (mm) in greatest direction, while the term nodule is usually used when the size of the lesion is less than 20 mm in its greatest dimension (25.4 mm = 1 inch). Some benign tumors can develop into malignant tumors – vaginal cancers. Some neoplastic growths of the vagina are only known from case studies.
Neoplasms originating in other nearby organs are found in the vagina. Small neoplasms typically cause no symptoms until they reach a 'significant' size. Signs and symptoms include a feeling of pressure, painful intercourse and bleeding. Most vaginal tumors are found during a routine pelvic exam. Though MRI imaging is used, biopsy provides a more definitive diagnosis. Tumors in the vagina can also come from metastases or cancer that has spread to the vagina from other parts of the body. Cancer that has spread from the colon, bladder, and stomach is far more common than cancer that originates in the vagina itself. Cystic neoplasms can resemble cystocele or urethral diverticulum.
^ Taylor, Elizabeth J. (2000). Dorland's Illustrated medical dictionary (29th ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders. p. 1184. ISBN0721662544.
Stedman's medical dictionary (28th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2006. p. Neoplasm. ISBN0781733901.
There are four main groups of vaginal neoplasms: benign neoplasms, in situ neoplasms, malignant neoplasms, and neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behavior. Malignant neoplasms are also simply known as cancers.Tumor (American English) or tumour (British English), Latin for swelling, one of the cardinal signs of inflammation, originally meant any form of swelling, neoplastic or not. Current English, however, both medical and non-medical, uses tumor as a synonym for a neoplasm (a solid or fluid-filled cystic lesion that may or may not be formed by an abnormal growth of neoplastic cells) that appears enlarged in size.Some neoplasms do not form a tumor; these include leukemia and most forms of carcinoma in situ. Tumor is also not synonymous with cancer. While cancer is by definition malignant, a tumor can be benign, precancerous, or malignant.
"Defining Cancer". National Cancer Institute. Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Humphrey, Peter A.; Dehner, Louis P.; Pfeifer, John D. (22 February 2018). "The Washington Manual of Surgical Pathology". Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Retrieved 22 February 2018 – via Google Books.
Baba, Alecsandru Ioan; Câtoi, Cornel (22 February 2018). "FEMALE GENITAL TRACT TUMORS". The Publishing House of the Romanian Academy. Retrieved 22 February 2018 – via www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
