Less Common Gynecologic Malignancies: An Integrative Review.

OBJECTIVE: To review current data on vaginal, vulvar, and fallopian tube cancers, including incidence, diagnosis, staging, risk reduction measures, and management.

DATA SOURCES: A review of retrieved articles dated 2006-2018 from PubMed.

CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and treatment of rare gynecologic cancers is dependent on a thorough history and examination. Of particular interest is the role of fallopian tube as the location of primary origin of ovarian and peritoneal cancers as well as the potential for vaccination prevention of vaginal and vulvar cancers.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses in diverse roles should have an understanding of these rare tumor types to support assessment and early identification with their patients.