Many malignancies can develop in vulvar structures. The signs and symptoms can include:

- Itching, burn, or bleeding on the vulva that does not go away.

- Changes in the color of the skin of the vulva, so that it looks redder or whiter than is normal.

- Skin changes in the vulva, including what looks like a rash or warts.

- Sores, lumps, or ulcers on the vulva that do not go away.

- Pain in the pelvis, especially during urination or sex.

Typically, a lesion presents in the form of a lump or ulcer on the labia majora and may be associated with itching, irritation, local bleeding or discharge, in addition to pain with urination or pain during sexual intercourse. The labia minora, clitoris, perineum and mons are less commonly involved. Due to modesty or embarrassment, patients may put off seeing a doctor.

Melanomas tend to display the typical asymmetry, uneven borders and dark discoloration as do melanomas in other parts of the body.

Adenocarcinoma can arise from the Bartholin gland and present with a painful lump.

Basal cell carcinoma makes up about 1–2% of vulvar cancer. These tend to be slow-growing lesions on the labia majora but can occur anywhere on the vulva. Their behavior is similar to basal cell cancers in other locations. They often grow locally and have low risk for deep invasion or metastasis.

Treatment involves excision, but these lesions have a tendency to recur if not completely removed.

Esophageal cancer may be due to either squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) or adenocarcinoma (EAC). SCCs tend to occur closer to the mouth, while adenocarcinomas occur closer to the stomach. Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing, solids worse than liquids) and painful swallowing are common initial symptoms. If the disease is localized, surgical removal of the affected esophagus may offer the possibility of a cure. If the disease has spread, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are commonly used.

Vaginal squamous cell carcinoma spreads slowly and usually stays near the vagina, but may spread to the lungs and liver. This is the most common type of vaginal cancer.

SCC of the skin begins as a small nodule and as it enlarges the center becomes necrotic and sloughs and the nodule turns into an ulcer.

- The lesion caused by SCC is often asymptomatic

- Ulcer or reddish skin plaque that is slow growing

- Intermittent bleeding from the tumor, especially on the lip

- The clinical appearance is highly variable

- Usually the tumor presents as an ulcerated lesion with hard, raised edges

- The tumor may be in the form of a hard plaque or a papule, often with an opalescent quality, with tiny blood vessels

- The tumor can lie below the level of the surrounding skin, and eventually ulcerates and invades the underlying tissue

- The tumor commonly presents on sun-exposed areas (e.g. back of the hand, scalp, lip, and superior surface of pinna)

- On the lip, the tumor forms a small ulcer, which fails to heal and bleeds intermittently

- Evidence of chronic skin photodamage, such as multiple actinic keratoses (solar keratoses)

- The tumor grows relatively slowly

Individuals with a basal-cell carcinoma typically present with a shiny, pearly skin nodule. However, superficial basal-cell cancer can present as a red patch similar to eczema. Infiltrative or morpheaform basal-cell cancers can present as a skin thickening or scar tissue – making diagnosis difficult without using tactile sensation and a skin biopsy. It is often difficult to visually distinguish basal-cell cancer from acne scar, actinic elastosis, and recent cryodestruction inflammation.

The histopathologic classification includes:

- "Nodular basal cell carcinoma" (also known as "classic basal-cell carcinoma") most commonly occurs on the sun-exposed areas of the head and neck.

- "Cystic basal cell carcinoma" is morphologically characterized by dome-shaped, blue-gray cystic nodules.

- "Cicatricial basal cell carcinoma" (also known as "morpheaform basal cell carcinoma," and "morphoeic basal cell carcinoma") is an aggressive variant with a distinct clinical and histologic appearance.

- "Infiltrative basal cell carcinoma" is an aggressive type characterized by deep infiltration.

- "Micronodular basal cell carcinoma" is characterized by a micronodular growth pattern.

- "Superficial basal cell carcinoma" (also known as "superficial multicentric basal-cell carcinoma") occurs most commonly on the trunk and appears as an erythematous patch.

- "Pigmented basal cell carcinoma" exhibits increased melanization. About 80% of all basal-cell carcinoma in Chinese are pigmented while this subtype is uncommon in white people.

- "Rodent ulcer" (also known as a "Jacob's ulcer") is a large skin lesion of nodular basal-cell carcinoma with central necrosis. Almost all cancers can metastasize except glioma (maligancy of the central nervous system) and the rodent ulcer.

- "Fibroepithelioma of Pinkus" most commonly occurs on the lower back.

- "Polypoid basal cell carcinoma" is characterized by exophytic nodules (polyp-like structures) on the head and neck.

- "Pore-like basal cell carcinoma" resembles an enlarged pore or stellate pit.

- "Aberrant basal cell carcinoma" is characterized by the formation of basal-cell carcinoma in the absence of any apparent carcinogenic factor, occurring in odd sites such as the scrotum, vulva, perineum, nipple, and axilla.

See also:

- Nevoid basal-cell carcinoma syndrome

These terms are related since they represent the steps of the progression toward cancer:

- Dysplasia is the earliest form of precancerous lesion recognizable in a biopsy. Dysplasia can be low-grade or high-grade. High-grade dysplasia may also be referred to as carcinoma "in situ".

- Invasive carcinoma, usually simply called cancer, has the potential to invade and spread to surrounding tissues and structures, and may eventually be lethal.

In many cases, ductal carcinoma is asymptomatic, and detected as abnormal results on mammography. When symptoms occur, a painless, enlarging mass that does not fluctuate with the menstrual period may be felt. Pinching of the overlying skin may also be seen. Certain subtypes, such as inflammatory carcinomas, may result in a swollen, enlarged and tender breast. All variants of cancer, if there is metastatic spread, may cause enlarged lymph nodes and affect other organs.

Invasive carcinoma of no special type (NST) is the most common form of invasive breast cancer. It accounts for 55% of breast cancer incidence upon diagnosis, according to statistics from the United States in 2004. On a mammogram, it is usually visualized as a mass with fine spikes radiating from the edges. On physical examination, this lump usually feels much harder or firmer than benign breast lesions such as fibroadenoma. On microscopic examination, the cancerous cells invade and replace the surrounding normal tissues. IDC is divided in several histological subtypes.

Bowen's disease typically presents as a gradually enlarging, well-demarcated red colored plaque with an irregular border and surface crusting or scaling. Bowen's disease may occur at any age in adults, but is rare before the age of 30 years; most patients are aged over 60. Any site may be affected, although involvement of palms or soles is uncommon. Bowen's disease occurs predominantly in women (70–85% of cases). About 60–85% of patients have lesions on the lower leg, usually in previously or presently sun-exposed areas of skin.

This is a persistent, progressive, unelevated, red, scaly or crusted plaque which is due to an intraepidermal carcinoma and is potentially malignant. The lesions may occur anywhere on the skin surface, including on mucosal surfaces. Freezing, cauterization, or diathermy coagulation is often effective treatment. Pathomorphologic study of tissue sampling revealed: polymorphism of spiny epithelial cells has progressed into atypism; increased mitosis; giant and multinucleate cells; acanthosis; hyperkeratosis and parakeratosis; basal membrane and basal layer are retained.

Squamous-cell skin cancer, also known as cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma (cSCC), is one of the main types of skin cancer along with basal cell cancer, and melanoma. It usually presents as a hard lump with a scaly top but can also form an ulcer. Onset is often over months. Squamous-cell skin cancer is more likely to spread to distant areas than basal cell cancer.

The greatest risk factor is high total exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Other risks include prior scars, chronic wounds, actinic keratosis, lighter skin, Bowen's disease, arsenic exposure, radiation therapy, poor immune system function, previous basal cell carcinoma, and HPV infection. Risk from UV radiation is related to total exposure, rather than early exposure. Tanning beds are becoming another common source of ultraviolet radiation. It begins from squamous cells found within the skin. Diagnosis is often based on skin examination and confirmed by tissue biopsy.

Decreasing exposure to ultraviolet radiation and the use of sunscreen appear to be effective methods of preventing squamous-cell skin cancer. Treatment is typically by surgical removal. This can be by simple excision if the cancer is small otherwise Mohs surgery is generally recommended. Other options may include application of cold and radiation therapy. In the cases in which distant spread has occurred chemotherapy or biologic therapy may be used.

As of 2015, about 2.2 million people have cSCC at any given time. It makes up about 20% of all skin cancer cases. About 12% of males and 7% of females in the United States developed cSCC at some point in time. While prognosis is usually good, if distant spread occurs five-year survival is ~34%. In 2015 it resulted in about 51,900 deaths globally. The usual age at diagnosis is around 66. Following the successful treatment of one case of cSCC people are at high risk of developing further cases.

The patient may have no symptoms, or local symptomatology including itching, burning, and pain.

The diagnosis is always based on a careful inspection and a targeted biopsy of a visible vulvar lesion.

The type and distribution of lesions varies among the two different types of VIN. In the Usual type VIN, seen more frequently in young patients, lesions tend to be multifocal over an otherwise normal vulvar skin. In the differentiated type VIN, usually seen in postmenopausal women, lesions tend to be isolated and are located over a skin with a vulvar dermatosis such as Lichen slerosus.

The appearance and number of sarcoids can vary, with some horses having single or multiple lesions, usually on the head, legs, ventrum and genitalia or around a wound. The distribution pattern suggests that flies are an important factor in the formation of sarcoids. Sarcoids may resemble warts (verrucous form), small nodules (nodular form), oval hairless or scaly plaques (occult form) or very rarely, large ulcerated masses (fibroblastic form). The occult form usually presents on skin around the mouth, eyes or neck, while nodular and verrucous sarcoids are common on the groin, penile sheath or face. Fibroblastic sarcoids have a predilection for the legs, groin, eyelid and sites of previous injury. Multiple forms may also be present on an individual horse (mixed form). Histologically, sarcoids are composed of fibroblasts (collagen producing cells) that invade and proliferate within the dermis and sometimes the subcutaneous tissue but do not readily metastasize to other organs. Surgical biopsy can definitively diagnose sarcoids, but there is a significant risk of making sarcoids worse. Therefore, diagnosis based solely on clinical signs, fine-needle aspiration or complete excisional biopsy are safer choices.

Bowen's disease, also known as squamous cell carcinoma" in situ" is a neoplastic skin disease. It can be considered as an early stage or intraepidermal form of squamous cell carcinoma. It was named after John T. Bowen.

Erythroplasia of Queyrat is a particular type of Bowen's disease that can arise on the glans or prepuce in males, and, on the vulva in females, and may be induced by human papilloma virus. It is reported to occur in the corneoscleral limbus.

Medically speaking, the term denotes a squamous intraepithelial lesion of the vulva that shows dysplasia with varying degrees of atypia. The epithelial basement membrane is intact and the lesion is thus not invasive but has invasive potential.

The terminology of VIN evolved over several decades. In 1989 the Committee on Terminology, International Society for the Study of Vulvar Disease (ISSVD) replaced older terminology such as vulvar , Bowen's disease, and Kraurosis vulvae by a new classification system for "Epithelial Vulvar Disease":

- Nonneoplastic epithelial disorders of vulva and mucosa:

- Lichen sclerosus

- Squamous hyperplasia

- Other dermatoses

- Mixed neoplastic and nonneoplastic disorders

- Intraepithelial neoplasia

- Squamous vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN)

- VIN I, mildest form

- VIN II, intermediate

- VIN III, most severe form including carcinoma in situ of the vulva

- Non-squamous intraepithelial neoplasia

- Extramammary Paget's disease

- Tumors of melanocytes, noninvasive

- Invasive disease (vulvar carcinoma)

The ISSVD further revised this classification in 2004, replacing the three-grade system with a single-grade system in which only the high-grade disease is classified as VIN.

VIN is subdivided into: (Robbins Pathological Basis of Disease, 9th Ed)

Classic vulvular intraepithelial neoplasia: associated with developing into the warty and basaloid type carcinoma. This is associated with carcinogenic genotypes of HPV and/or HPV persistence factors such as cigarette smoking or immunocompromised states.

Differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia also known as VIN Simplex: is associated with vulvar dermatoses such as lichen sclerosus. It is associated with atypia of the squamous epithelium.

Carcinoma "in situ (CIS), also known as in situ" neoplasm, is a group of abnormal cells. While they are a form of neoplasm there is disagreement over whether CIS should be classified as cancer. This controversy also depends on the exact CIS in question (i.e. cervical, skin, breast). Some authors do not classify them as cancer, however, recognizing that they can potentially become cancer. Others classify certain types as a non-invasive form of cancer. The term "pre-cancer" has also been used.

These abnormal cells grow in their normal place, thus ""in situ"" (from Latin for "in its place"). For example, carcinoma "in situ" of the skin, also called Bowen's disease, is the accumulation of dysplastic epidermal cells within the epidermis only, that has failed to penetrate into the deeper dermis. For this reason, CIS will usually not form a tumor. Rather, the lesion is flat (in the skin, cervix, etc.) or follows the existing architecture of the organ (in the breast, lung, etc.). Exceptions include CIS of the colon (polyps), the bladder (preinvasive papillary cancer), or the breast (ductal carcinoma "in situ" or lobular carcinoma "in situ").

Many forms of CIS have a high probability of progression into cancer, and therefore removal may be recommended; however, progression of CIS is known to be highly variable and not all CIS becomes invasive cancer.

In the TNM classification, carcinoma "in situ" is reported as TisN0M0 (stage 0).

Lobular carcinoma "in situ" (LCIS) is a condition caused by unusual cells in the lobules of the breast.

Many do not consider it cancer, but it can indicate an increased risk of future cancer. The national database registrars, however, consider it a malignancy.

Unlike ductal carcinoma "in situ" (DCIS), LCIS is not associated with calcification, and is typically an incidental finding in a biopsy performed for another reason. LCIS only accounts for about 15% of the "in situ" (ductal or lobular) breast cancers.

Clear-cell adenocarcinoma is a type of adenocarcinoma that shows clear cells.

Types include:

- Clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina

- Clear-cell ovarian carcinoma

- Uterine clear-cell carcinoma

- Clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the lung (which is a type of Clear-cell carcinoma of the lung)

See also:

- Clear-cell squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common cancer of the eye, periorbital area and penis, and it is the second most common cancer overall in horses, accounting for 12 to 20% of all cancers diagnosed. While SCC has been reported in horses aged 1 to 29-years, most cases occur in 8 to 15-year-old horses, making it the most common neoplasm reported in older horses. Carcinomas are tumors derived from epithelial cells and SCC results from transformation and proliferation of squames, epidermal skin cells that become keratinized. Squamous-cell carcinomas are often solitary, slow-growing tumors that cause extensive local tissue destruction. They can metastasize to other organs, with reported rates as high as 18.6%, primarily to the lymph nodes and lung.

Although often the terms "erythroplasia" and "erythroplakia" are used synonymously, some sources distinguish them, stating that the latter is maccular (flat) while the former is papular (bumpy).

Erythroplakia of the genital mucosae is often referred to as erythroplasia of Queyrat.

The most common areas in the mouth where erythroplakia is found are the floor of the mouth, buccal vestibule, the tongue, and the soft palate. It appears as a red macule or plaque with well-demarcated borders. The texture is characterized as soft and velvety. An adjacent area of leukoplakia may be found along with the erythroplakia.

Erythroplasia may also occur on the laryngeal mucosa, or the anal mucosa.

Cytologic features of serous carcinoma are:

- Marked intragroup nuclear pleomorphism.

- Macronucleoli.

- "Knobby" group borders (in large groups).

- Hydropic vacuoles.

Symptoms of serous carcinoma may include:

- Discomfort/pain or bloating in abdomen

- Frequent urination

- Weight loss

A Clear-cell carcinoma is a carcinoma (i.e. not a sarcoma) showing clear cells.

"A rare type of tumor, usually of the female genital tract, in which the insides of the cells look clear when viewed under a microscope. Also called clear cell adenocarcinoma and mesonephroma."

Examples :

- Clear cell renal cell carcinoma ~ clear cell kidney cancer

- Uterine clear-cell carcinoma ~ clear cell endometrial cancer

- Clear-cell ovarian carcinoma

Symptoms vary between individuals and can be dependent upon the stage of growth of the carcinoma. Presence of the carcinoma can lead to be asymptomatic blood in the urine (hematuria), Hematuria can be visible or detected microscopically. Visible hematuria is when urine appears red or brown and can be seen with the naked eye. Other symptoms are not specific. Other inflammatory conditions that affect the bladder and kidney can create similar symptoms. Early detection facilitates curing the disease. Other symptoms can involve:

- pain or burning on urination

- the sensation of not being able to completely empty the bladder

- the sensation of needing to urinate more often or more frequently than normal

These symptoms are general and also indicate less serious problems.

In the context of lesions of the mucous membrane lining of the bladder, leukoplakia is a historic term used to describe a visualized white patch which histologically represents keratinization in an area of squamous metaplasia. The symptoms may include frequency, suprapubic pain (pain felt above the pubis), hematuria (blood in the urine), dysuria (difficult urination or pain during urination), urgency, and urge incontinence. The white lesion may be seen during cystoscopy, where it appears as a whitish-gray or yellow lesion, on a background of inflamed urothelium and there may be floating debris in the bladder. Leukoplakia of the bladder may undergo cancerous changes, so biopsy and long term follow up are usually indicated.