Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia
Encyclopedia
Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) is a condition that describes premalignant
histological findings in the vagina
characterized by dysplastic
changes.
The disorder is rare and generally has no symptoms
. VAIN can be detected by the presence of abnormal cells in a Papanicolaou test (Pap smear).
Like cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
, VAIN comes in three stages, VAIN 1, 2, and 3. In VAIN 1, a third of the thickness of the cells in the vaginal skin are abnormal, while in VAIN 3, the full thickness is affected. VAIN 3 is also known as carcinoma in-situ, or stage 0 vaginal cancer
.
Infection with certain types of the human papillomavirus
("high-risk types") may be associated with up to 80% of cases of VAIN. Vaccinating girls with HPV vaccine
before initial sexual contact has been shown to reduce incidence of VAIN.
One study found that most cases of VAIN were located in the upper third of the vagina, and were multifocal. In the same study, 65 and 10% patients with VAIN also had cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
and vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia
, respectively.
In another study, most cases of VAIN went into remission after a single treatment, but about 5% of the cases studied progressed into a more serious condition despite treatment.
Premalignant condition
A precancerous condition is a disease, syndrome, or finding that, if left untreated, may lead to cancer. It is a generalized state associated with a significantly increased risk of cancer....
histological findings in the vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
characterized by dysplastic
Dysplasia
Dysplasia , is a term used in pathology to refer to an abnormality of development. This generally consists of an expansion of immature cells, with a corresponding decrease in the number and location of mature cells. Dysplasia is often indicative of an early neoplastic process...
changes.
The disorder is rare and generally has no symptoms
Asymptomatic
In medicine, a disease is considered asymptomatic if a patient is a carrier for a disease or infection but experiences no symptoms. A condition might be asymptomatic if it fails to show the noticeable symptoms with which it is usually associated. Asymptomatic infections are also called subclinical...
. VAIN can be detected by the presence of abnormal cells in a Papanicolaou test (Pap smear).
Like cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia , also known as cervical dysplasia and cervical interstitial neoplasia, is the potentially premalignant transformation and abnormal growth of squamous cells on the surface of the cervix. CIN is not cancer, and is usually curable...
, VAIN comes in three stages, VAIN 1, 2, and 3. In VAIN 1, a third of the thickness of the cells in the vaginal skin are abnormal, while in VAIN 3, the full thickness is affected. VAIN 3 is also known as carcinoma in-situ, or stage 0 vaginal cancer
Vaginal cancer
Vaginal cancer is any type of cancer that forms in the tissues of the vagina. Primary vaginal cancer is rare in the general population of women and is usually a squamous carcinoma. Metastases are more common. Vaginal cancer occurs more often in women over age 50, but can occur at any age, even in...
.
Infection with certain types of the human papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus is a member of the papillomavirus family of viruses that is capable of infecting humans. Like all papillomaviruses, HPVs establish productive infections only in keratinocytes of the skin or mucous membranes...
("high-risk types") may be associated with up to 80% of cases of VAIN. Vaccinating girls with HPV vaccine
HPV vaccine
The human papilloma virus vaccine prevents infection with certain species of human papillomavirus associated with the development of cervical cancer, genital warts, and some less common cancers...
before initial sexual contact has been shown to reduce incidence of VAIN.
One study found that most cases of VAIN were located in the upper third of the vagina, and were multifocal. In the same study, 65 and 10% patients with VAIN also had cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia , also known as cervical dysplasia and cervical interstitial neoplasia, is the potentially premalignant transformation and abnormal growth of squamous cells on the surface of the cervix. CIN is not cancer, and is usually curable...
and vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia
Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia
The term Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia refers to particular changes that can occur in the skin that covers the vulva. VIN is not cancer, and in some women it disappears without treatment...
, respectively.
In another study, most cases of VAIN went into remission after a single treatment, but about 5% of the cases studied progressed into a more serious condition despite treatment.