Vaginal carcinoma in a completely prolapsed uterus. A case report.
BACKGROUND
The development of genuine vaginal carcinoma onto a completely prolapsed uterus is a very rare condition to deal with.


METHODS
We report here the clinical characteristics of a patient with vaginal carcinoma associated with a third-degree prolapsed uterus. The 80-year-old patient was admitted with a completely prolapsed uterus. The cervix was clinically normal but on the nearby prolapsed vaginal wall a large exophytical hard lesion had been developed. Biopsy of the lesion revealed squamous carcinoma.


METHODS
The treatment performed was radical vaginal hysterectomy and excision of the upper two-thirds of the vagina without pelvic lymphadenectomy, followed by external beam irradiation. The patient is alive, with no signs of the disease 3.5 years after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical and radiotherapeutic treatments can be effectively combined in patients with vaginal carcinoma and complete genital prolapse, in order to improve survival benefits and reduce morbidity.
Iavazzo
C
C
Department of Gynecology, METAXA Memorial Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece. christosiavazzo@hotmail.com
Vorgias
G
G
Vecchini
G
G
Katsoulis
M
M
Akrivos
T
T
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery