Vaginal & vulvar cancer symptoms & treatment

Vaginal and vulvar cancers occur when cells in the vagina or external genitals (vulva) begin to grow out of control. While these cancers are not common, the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the known cause for at least half of the cases each year. HPV is also linked to cervical cancer.

Your Aurora provider can provide the HPV vaccine along with regular Pap smears and gynecological exams to help reduce your risk for these types of cancers. If needed, our surgeons offer laparoscopy, with or without robotic assistance.

Vaginal & vulvar cancer symptoms

Symptoms of vulvar cancer or vaginal cancer may be similar to those of a different condition. The only way to find out is to schedule a visit with your OB-GYN to identify what is causing the vaginal or vulva cancer symptoms.

Vulvar cancer and vaginal cancer symptoms may include:

• Pelvic pain or pain during urination or sex
• Unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge
• A sore, lump or bump in the vagina or on the vulva
• Chronic itching, burning or bleeding
• Skin that changes color – becoming darker or lighter

Risk factors for vulvar & vaginal cancer

You may be at higher risk for vaginal or vulvar cancer if you have had:

• HPV infection
• Cervical cancer
• Chronic vulvar itching or burning
• Precancerous cell changes of the cervix, vulva or vagina
• A condition that makes you immunocompromised
• A history of smoking

How we diagnose vulvar cancer & vaginal cancer

Vaginal and vulvar cancers occur when cells in the vagina or external genitals (vulva) begin to grow out of control. While these cancers are not common, the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the known cause for at least half of the cases each year. HPV is also linked to cervical cancer.

Your Aurora provider can provide the HPV vaccine along with regular Pap smears and gynecological exams to help reduce your risk for these types of cancers. If needed, our surgeons offer laparoscopy, with or without robotic assistance.

Vaginal & vulvar cancer symptoms
Symptoms of vulvar cancer or vaginal cancer may be similar to those of a different condition. The only way to find out is to schedule a visit with your OB-GYN to identify what is causing the vaginal or vulva cancer symptoms.

Vulvar cancer and vaginal cancer symptoms may include:

• Pelvic pain or pain during urination or sex
• Unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge
• A sore, lump or bump in the vagina or on the vulva
• Chronic itching, burning or bleeding
• Skin that changes color – becoming darker or lighter

Risk factors for vulvar & vaginal cancer

You may be at higher risk for vaginal or vulvar cancer if you have had:

• HPV infection
• Cervical cancer
• Chronic vulvar itching or burning
• Precancerous cell changes of the cervix, vulva or vagina
• A condition that makes you immunocompromised
• A history of smoking

How we diagnose vulvar cancer & vaginal cancer

If you have any of the above vaginal or vulvar cancer symptoms, schedule a visit with your OB-GYN. They will discuss your personal and family medical history with you to determine if you have any risk factors for these cancers.

Next, your doctor will perform a Pap smear and gynecological exam to rule out other causes for the vaginal or vulvar cancer symptoms. Your OB-GYN may want you to undergo certain tests, or they may refer you to a gynecologic cancer specialist for testing, such as having a biopsy to collect and examine cells under a microscope to check for the presence of vulvar or vaginal cancer.

Tests to help diagnose vulvar cancer

We may also use these tests to determine if vaginal or vulvar cancer has spread:

• Cystoscopy or proctoscopy checks to see if cancer has spread to the urethra, bladder or rectum.
• CT (computed tomography scan) confirms the presence of a tumor. It can also show the location and size and whether cancer has spread to nearby tissues or organs.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) can help doctors see whether a tumor is cancerous.
• PET scans are combined with the injection of a specific dye into a vein. The scan identifies cancer cells that have absorbed the dye.
• Chest X-ray can show whether cancer has spread to the lungs.

Treatment for vaginal & vulvar cancer

Your treatment plan will depend on the diagnosis and your overall health, as well as whether you have or want to have children. Your doctor will discuss the course of treatment that best suits your needs.

Generally, treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Depending on your individual situation, your cancer specialists may recommend surgery followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy to destroy additional cancer cells. In some cases, we may use chemotherapy or radiation to shrink your tumor before surgery.

If cancer has spread beyond your vulva or vagina, surgery may also be done on your bladder, uterus or other tissues.

Surgical options to treat vaginal cancer or vulvar cancer

Laser surgery
The surgeon uses heat from an energy beam directed to the cancer site to destroy abnormal cells.

Tumor excision
Using tiny incisions, we insert special surgical instruments to remove the cancer and surrounding tissue, if cancer has spread there.

Vaginectomy
This minimally invasive procedure surgically removes part or all of the vagina and sometimes the surrounding tissue, if affected by cancer.

Lymphadenectomy
Your surgeon will remove some of the lymph nodes in your pelvis and abdomen and have them examined under a microscope to see if the cancer has spread.

Robotic surgery
This minimally invasive gynecologic procedure uses robotic arms along with magnified views and the surgeon's skills to perform a vaginectomy. Learn more about laparoscopy and robotic surgery.

Nonsurgical treatment options for vaginal cancer or vulvar cancer

• External beam radiation, which uses a special machine to send beams of high-energy X-rays to target and destroy cancer cells. Your cancer specialist may recommend radiation therapy by itself or with surgery.
  
• Brachytherapy, which is a type of radiation therapy that uses small amounts of radioactive material inserted into or around the cancer. It is more targeted, so it affects less healthy tissue than external beam radiation.
  
• Chemotherapy, which uses pills by mouth or injections through a vein. Chemotherapy drugs travel through your whole body to help control the spread of vulvar or vaginal cancer.

What to expect after treatment for vaginal or vulvar cancer

Cancer treatments may affect your ability to get pregnant or deliver a baby. Before your treatment, let your doctor know if preserving fertility is important to you. They'll recommend a fertility evaluation and discuss options that may help you conceive or carry a child after treatment.

To preserve sexual function, our skilled surgeons can reconstruct your vagina if all or part of it has been removed. They reconstruct your vagina using skin or tissue taken from elsewhere in your body.

If you have any of the above vaginal or vulvar cancer symptoms, schedule a visit with your OB-GYN. They will discuss your personal and family medical history with you to determine if you have any risk factors for these cancers.

Next, your doctor will perform a Pap smear and gynecological exam to rule out other causes for the vaginal or vulvar cancer symptoms. Your OB-GYN may want you to undergo certain tests, or they may refer you to a gynecologic cancer specialist for testing, such as having a biopsy to collect and examine cells under a microscope to check for the presence of vulvar or vaginal cancer.

Tests to help diagnose vulvar cancer

We may also use these tests to determine if vaginal or vulvar cancer has spread:

• Cystoscopy or proctoscopy checks to see if cancer has spread to the urethra, bladder or rectum.
• CT (computed tomography scan) confirms the presence of a tumor. It can also show the location and size and whether cancer has spread to nearby tissues or organs.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) can help doctors see whether a tumor is cancerous.
• PET scans are combined with the injection of a specific dye into a vein. The scan identifies cancer cells that have absorbed the dye.
• Chest X-ray can show whether cancer has spread to the lungs.

Treatment for vaginal & vulvar cancer

Your treatment plan will depend on the diagnosis and your overall health, as well as whether you have or want to have children. Your doctor will discuss the course of treatment that best suits your needs.

Generally, treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Depending on your individual situation, your cancer specialists may recommend surgery followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy to destroy additional cancer cells. In some cases, we may use chemotherapy or radiation to shrink your tumor before surgery.

If cancer has spread beyond your vulva or vagina, surgery may also be done on your bladder, uterus or other tissues.

Surgical options to treat vaginal cancer or vulvar cancer

Laser surgery

The surgeon uses heat from an energy beam directed to the cancer site to destroy abnormal cells.

Tumor excision

Using tiny incisions, we insert special surgical instruments to remove the cancer and surrounding tissue, if cancer has spread there.

Vaginectomy

This minimally invasive procedure surgically removes part or all of the vagina and sometimes the surrounding tissue, if affected by cancer.

Lymphadenectomy

Your surgeon will remove some of the lymph nodes in your pelvis and abdomen and have them examined under a microscope to see if the cancer has spread.

Robotic surgery

This minimally invasive gynecologic procedure uses robotic arms along with magnified views and the surgeon's skills to perform a vaginectomy. Learn more about laparoscopy and robotic surgery.

Nonsurgical treatment options for vaginal cancer or vulvar cancer

• External beam radiationwhich uses a special machine to send beams of high-energy X-rays to target and destroy cancer cells. Your cancer specialist may recommend radiation therapy by itself or with surgery.
• Brachytherapy, which is a type of radiation therapy that uses small amounts of radioactive material inserted into or around the cancer. It is more targeted, so it affects less healthy tissue than external beam radiation.
• Chemotherapy, which uses pills by mouth or injections through a vein. Chemotherapy drugs travel through your whole body to help control the spread of vulvar or vaginal cancer.

What to expect after treatment for vaginal or vulvar cancer

Cancer treatments may affect your ability to get pregnant or deliver a baby. Before your treatment, let your doctor know if preserving fertility is important to you. They'll recommend a fertility evaluation and discuss options that may help you conceive or carry a child after treatment.

To preserve sexual function, our skilled surgeons can reconstruct your vagina if all or part of it has been removed. They reconstruct your vagina using skin or tissue taken from elsewhere in your body.