Pathology of the Vulva and Vagina

Book excerpt: Doctors and the general public are increasingly recognising diseases of the vulva and vagina as a cause of sexual dysfunction, morbidity and death, yet the wide but sometimes rare range of conditions involving this area are poorly represented in most textbooks of pathology. As the first volume in the Essentials of Diagnostic Gynecological Pathology series sponsored by the British Association of Gynecological Pathologists, Pathology of the Vulva and Vagina is one of the very few dealing wholly with this subject. Pathology of the Vulva and Vagina introduces the topic with a stylishly illustrated description of the embryology and development which is fundamental to understanding the pathogenesis and symptomatology. Subsequent chapters cover infections and non-infectious dermatoses, specifying those that can predispose to cancer. The precancerous conditions of vulval intraepithelial neoplasia, melanocytic proliferations and extra-mammary Paget’s disease are integrated respectively with accounts of human papilloma virus, malignant melanoma and recent awareness of ano-genital mammary-like glands. Advances in the recognition of potentially confusing benign conditions, prognosis and staging update the pathology of squamous and adenocarcinoma in these organs. The difficulties of sentinel node biopsy are explored and a comprehensive chapter clearly highlights the difficult differential diagnosis of mesenchymal lesions. As most histopathology departments receive many gynecological specimens, Pathology of the Vulva and Vagina has been written to be useful diagnostically to general as well as specialist gynecological histopathologists and pathologists in training. Gynecologists, oncologists, dermatologists, genitourinary physicians and cancer nurse specialists will find expert insights here that will help in treatment and counselling of their patients.