Cancer of the
vagina is a relatively rare form of female reproductive cancer. Vaginal cancer typically affects women between 45 and 65 years of age. A type of vaginal cancer known as clear cell carcinoma is quite common in women whose mothers took the drug
DES during pregnancy.
Certain abnormal cell formations are sometimes found in the vagina which may be precursors to vaginal cancer. These include dysplasia, cells that look abnormal under a microscope but are not cancer. In women exposed to DES in the womb, these conditions can develop into
clear cell adenocarcinoma, a cancer that begins in cells that line the vagina and that has glandular properties.
See Also
- Cancer
- Vaginal Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma
- DES / Diethylstilbestrol