Primary invasive and in situ vaginal carcinoma. Flow cytometric analysis of DNA aneuploidy and cell proliferation from archival paraffin-embedded tissue

Prognostic Significance of Cell Cycle- and Invasion-Related Molecular Markers and Genomic Instability in Primary Carcinoma of the Vagina

Objective

This study aimed to analyze the prognostic value of DNA content and biological markers for cell cycle regulation and invasion in primary carcinoma of the vagina (PCV).

Material and Methods

Seventy-two consecutive patients with PCV, categorized as short-term (≤2 years) and long-term (≥8 years) survivors, were evaluated for DNA content by image cytometry, and for expression of p53, p21, cyclin A, Ki67, E-cadherin, and laminin-5γ2 chain by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between these biological markers and histopathological and clinical parameters was assessed.

Results

All PCV showed aneuploid DNA content. Most of the PCV patients showed no overexpression of p53 and high expression of p21, cyclin A, and Ki67. Loss or underexpression of E-cadherin was found in 94% (68/72) of PCV patients, and all patients showed immunopositivity for the laminin-5γ2 chain. Tumors with a vaginal longitudinal location in the lower third or in the entire vagina more often had overexpression of p53, high expression of Ki67 (P = 0.044), and underexpression of E-cadherin (P = 0.038), than tumors confined only to the upper third. Overexpression of p53 was significantly associated with short-term survival in the univariate analysis, but not in the multivariate analysis adjusted for age at diagnosis and tumor size.

Conclusions

The expression level of some markers was related to tumor location, which might be indicative of different genesis. Overexpression of p53 was associated with short-term survival, but the only independent predictors of survival were age at diagnosis and tumor size.

Management of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia: A series of 132 cases with long-term follow-up

A series of 132 cases of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) is presented, including nine (6.8%) where early invasive carcinoma of the vagina was found in the course of initial management of the VAIN. The majority of patients (75%) had high-grade VAIN (two or three). Seventy-two (55%) had undergone a prior hysterectomy; 22 for preinvasive disease (CIN), 33 for invasive gynecological cancer, 13 for benign reasons, and in 4 the reason for the hysterectomy and/or the Pap smear history was not known. Twenty-one (16%) had received prior pelvic radiotherapy. VAIN was noted to involve either the vaginal vault (in the post-hysterectomy group) or the upper vagina (in the no hysterectomy group) in more than 80% cases. A variety of treatment modalities was used with varying degrees of success. For high-grade VAIN excisional treatments had an overall (first-line plus subsequent) cure rate of 69% (53/77). The state of the surgical margins did not correlate with the risk of residual disease. CO2 laser ablation was curative in 69% (18/26) of cases and was significantly better than electrocoagulation diathermy which was curative in only 25% (3/12) of cases (P = 0.013). Five-fluorouracil cream was curative in 46% (5/11) of cases, including four patients who had received prior radiotherapy. Radiotherapy was effective in eradicating VAIN in the two cases where it was used as the primary treatment modality. Progression of high-grade VAIN to invasive cancer occurred in eight (8%) cases; after no treatment in two cases, after treatment failure in five cases, and as a late recurrence in one case. For low-grade VAIN an observational approach after biopsy was initially adopted in eight patients and regression occurred in seven (88%) of these patients. Other miscellaneous treatments were also effective in low-grade VAIN. These data provide evidence that high-grade VAIN is a precursor to invasive cancer of the vagina and every attempt should be made to eradicate it. Based on our experience and a review of the literature we have proposed a plan for optimal management of this condition.