Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0202 |
| Title: | Adenocarcinoma of the vagina. Association of maternal stilbestrol therapy with tumour appearance in young women |
| Author(s): | Herbst AL, Ulfelder H, Poskanzer DC |
| Reference: | New Eng J Medicine 1971; 284(16): 878-881 |
| Place of Study: | USA |
| Abstract: | Between 1966 and 1969, seven young women, 15-22 years of age, with adenocarcinoma of the vagina (clear cell or endometrial type) were seen at the Vincent Memorial Hospital. No such case in the younger age group had ever been seen at this institution before 1966. This led the authors to conduct a retrospective investigation in search of factors that might be associated with tumour appearance. Four match controls were established for each patient. It appeared that maternal bleeding during the current pregnancy and previous pregnancy loss were more common in the study group. Most significantly, seven of the eight mothers with carcinoma had been treated with diethylstilbestrol started in the first trimester. None in control group were so treated. Maternal ingestion of stilbestrol during early pregnancy appears to have enhanced the risk of vaginal carcinoma developing years later in the offspring exposed. |
| Keyword(s): | cancer of the vagina, Diethylstilbestrol |
| Discussion: | This is one of the first studies belonging to the framework of primal health research. It opened the way to other studies on the possible long term effects of drugs used during pregnancy on the offspring. See entry 0203. This is one of the first studies among humans suggesting that the chain of events leading to cancer can start in fetal life. See entry 0202. |
| See Also: | 0203 |
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