Vulvar Cancer

Summary

Vulvar cancer is a rare type of cancer. It forms in a woman’s external genitals, called the vulva. The cancer usually grows slowly over several years. First, precancerous cells grow on vulvar skin. This is called vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), or dysplasia. Not all VIN cases turn into cancer, but it is best to treat it early.

Often, vulvar cancer doesn’t cause symptoms at first. However, see your doctor for testing if you notice:

• A lump in the vulva
• Vulvar itching or tenderness
• Bleeding that is not your period
• Changes in the vulvar skin, such as color changes or growths that look like a wart or ulcer

You are at greater risk if you’ve had a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection or have a history of genital warts. Your health care provider diagnoses vulvar cancer with a physical exam and a biopsy. Treatment varies, depending on your overall health and how advanced the cancer is. It might include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or biologic therapy. Biologic therapy boosts your body’s own ability to fight cancer.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute

Patient Handouts

• After chemotherapy – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Pelvic radiation – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Vulvar cancer Medical Encyclopedia

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society American Cancer Society
• Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Find an Ob-Gyn American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services National Cancer Institute

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Can Vulvar Cancer Be Prevented? American Cancer Society
• Risk Factors for Vulvar Cancer American Cancer Society

Statistics and Research

• Cancer Statistics: Vulvar Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Key Statistics for Vulvar Cancer American Cancer Society
• What’s New in Vulvar Cancer Research and Treatment? American Cancer Society

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Vulvar Neoplasms National Institutes of Health

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms National Cancer Institute
• Vulva Anatomy National Cancer Institute

Treatments and Therapies

• Drugs Approved for Vulvar Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Treatment Option Overview (Vulvar Cancer) National Cancer Institute

Related Issues

• Fertility and Sexual Side Effects in People with Cancer American Cancer Society

Start Here

• General Information about Vulvar Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Vaginal and Vulvar Cancer Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Vulvar Cancer American Academy of Family Physicians
• Vulvar Cancer American Society of Clinical Oncology
• What Is Vulvar Cancer? American Cancer Society

Living With

• Living as a Vulvar Cancer Survivor American Cancer Society

Journal Articles

• Vulvar Cancer

Specifics

• Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Vulvar Cancer American Cancer Society
• What Causes Vulvar Cancer? American Cancer Society

Diagnosis and Tests

• Stages of Vulvar Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Tests for Vulvar Cancer American Cancer Society

Symptoms

• Symptoms of Vaginal and Vulvar Cancers Centers for Disease Control and Prevention