[Current knowledge about the natural history of intraepithelial neoplasms of the vagina].

The data on the natural history of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN) available in the literature are scarce and incomplete. As a matter of fact the majority of the Authors report series with a small number of cases, which are predominantly represented by VaIN III and usually already treated. Nevertheless from the review of the literature it seems that VaIN, particularly those of low grade (I-II), tend to show a high rate of spontaneous regression. The lesions are frequently multifocal, associated with papilloma virus (HPV) infection and arising in young women. On the contrary, the VaIN showing a more aggressive behaviour are usually represented by single lesions, arising in older women. Those patients are also frequently immunosuppressed, with a history of preceding genital neoplasia and a previous exposure to radiation and/or chemotherapy.