Introduction

Cancer of the cervix^(G) is probably the most preventable of all cancers that occur in women. This cancer grows slowly and goes through a pre-cancerous phase which may last for several years before cancer actually develops. This pre-cancerous phase is best diagnosed by a Pap smear, which is designed to pick up the presence of pre-cancerous cells developing on the cervix.

The fallopian tubes^(G) are the tubular structures which connect the upper, outer-most part of the uterus^(G) with theovary, and provide a means for fertilisation of the female egg.

Most cancers of the vagina^(G) are secondary or metastatic, that is, they have arisen somewhere else, usually from the cervix^(G) or vulva^(G) and spread to the vagina. Primary cancer of the Vagina is a very uncommon disease accounting for less than 2% of all cases of cancer of the female genital tract. In Queensland there are generally less than ten cases of vaginal cancer each year. Most cases occur in women over the age of fifty years.

Cancer of the vulva^(G) relates to cancers in the skin covering the vulva. It is an uncommon cancer, with less than 100 cases reported each year in Queensland.   Most of these cases are in women over 50 years of age, with the most common occurrence in the 70-79 year age group.   It does, however, appear that cancer of the vulva is becoming more common in younger women between 30 and 50 years of age; there is some evidence that this group may be related to smoking.