Primary vaginal squamous cell carcinoma presenting as a cystic pelvic mass

A 57-year-old woman presented with urinary retention, diarrhea, rectal blee ding, a cystic pelvic mass with thick irregular borders posterior to the va gina displacing the cervix and the bladder, and an intact vaginal mucosa. T he patient underwent exploratory laparotomy on the assumption that she had an ovarian neoplasm. The mass originated from the posterior vaginal wall an d was consistent with primary squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was trea ted with surgical cytoreduction followed by external radiation therapy and weekly cisplatin with good response. One year following treatment the patie nt remains without evidence of disease. Primary vaginal squamous cell carci noma arising from the posterior vaginal wall can present as a cystic pelvic mass resembling an ovarian neoplasm. Cytoreductive surgery followed by che moradiation might be of value in some patients with primary vaginal carcino ma. (C) 2000 Academic Press.