Development of cervical and vaginal squamous cell neoplasia as a late consequence of in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol.

During the last 14 years, several articles have given contradictory reports on prevalence rates of squamous cell neoplasia of the cervix and vagina in diethylstilbestrol (DES)-exposed progeny. In 1984, the DES-Adenosis (DESAD) Project found that the incidence of cervical and vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia in DES-exposed daughters was twice as high as in a comparison group of unexposed women. This was also associated with a higher rate of herpes simplex virus and human papillomavirus infections. Possible hypotheses on the etiology of the increased incidence of squamous neoplasia are discussed.