Symptomatic vaginal bleeding in a postmenopausal woman revealing colon adenocarcinoma metastasizing exclusively to the vagina.
Vaginal carcinomas are rare entities, accounting for 2% of all malignant cancers of the female genital tract, and the vast majority are metastatic. Adenocarcinoma of the colon metastasizing to the vagina is extremely rare, only 5 cases have been reported. We present the case of a woman who experienced vaginal bleeding as an isolated symptom of vaginal metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma. Vaginal localization of metastasis from colorectal cancer significantly worsens the survival prognosis, and a standard treatment has not yet been proposed. Potential mechanisms of spread of colorectal cancer to the vagina and therapeutic approaches are discussed. In this case, treatment included surgery and chemotherapy.
Gynaecologic Oncology Division, International School of Surgical Anatomy, Sacred Heart Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
Marcello
M
Ceccaroni
Amelia
A
Paglia
Giacomo
G
Ruffo
Marco
M
Scioscia
Francesco
F
Bruni
Anna
A
Pesci
Luca
L
Minelli
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D017698:Postmenopause; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary*