Diseases of the Vagina

This chapter discusses the range of non-neoplastic and neoplastic diseases of the vagina that may be encountered in the everyday practice of surgical pathology. The lesions discussed include infectious, developmental, benign, premalignant, and primary and secondary malignant lesions that affect the vagina, with a focus on morphologic and immunohistochemical features that aid in the diagnosis. The most common infectious causes of vaginitis, including bacterial, fungal, viral, protozoan, and parasitic agents as well as noninfectious causes are discussed. The characteristics of developmental disorders, such as imperforate hymen, and cystic lesions, such as Gartner’s duct cyst, are described. The features of pseudoneoplastic lesions such as fallopian tube prolapse, benign neoplasms such as squamous papilloma and premalignant squamous intraepithelial lesions are examined. Finally, primary malignancies, such as squamous cell carcinoma, clear cell adenocarcinoma, and melanoma, as well as common metastatic lesions that involve the vagina are discussed.