The relevant literature has been reviewed and it appears that there is no doubt that in utero exposure to stilboestrol is related to the eventual development of vaginal adenocarcinoma in young females. Although cancer of other types are also prevalent, the incidence is not great and may be related to other types of drugs taken during pregnancy. The review attempts to correlate the genetic effects with the abnormal development, but on account of the scarcity of data such correlation is not possible. Further work on the genetic effects and the development of the lower genital tract in the female needs to be carried out.
PIP: A review of the literature concerning the relationship between in utero exposure to stilbestrol and the later development of carcinoma of the vagina in young women is presented. The literature does confirm the causal relationship which seems to be triggered by hormonal changes at puberty. The critical time of exposure seems to be around the 8th week of pregnancy during the early differentiation of the female genital tract. Data on genetic effects of stilbestrol are too few to provide any conclusions. However, it is unlikely that genetically disturbed cells would exhibit the latency period seen in this cancer. Further research must be carried out in long-term projects to determine whether genetic effects are, in fact, present.