Vulvar Cancer
Vulvar cancer is a type of cancer that occurs on the outer surface area of the female
genitalia. The vulva is the area of skin that surrounds the urethra and vagina,
including the clitoris and labia.
Vulvar cancer commonly forms as a lump or sore on the vulva that often causes
itching. Though it can occur at any age, vulvar cancer is most commonly diagnosed
in older adults.
Vulvar cancer treatment usually involves surgery to remove the cancer and a small
amount of surrounding healthy tissue. Sometimes vulvar cancer surgery requires
removing the entire vulva. The earlier vulvar cancer is diagnosed, the less likely an
extensive surgery is needed for treatment.
- Itching that doesn't go away
- Pain and tenderness
- Bleeding that isn't from menstruation
- Skin changes, such as color changes or thickening
- A lump, wartlike bumps or an open sore (ulcer)
In general, doctors know that cancer begins when a cell develops changes (mutations) in its DNA. The DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. The mutations tell the cell to grow and divide rapidly. The cell and its offspring go on living when other normal cells would die. The accumulating cells form a tumor that may be cancerous, invading nearby tissue and spreading to other parts of the body.
- Vulvar squamous cell carcinoma. This cancer begins in the thin, flat cells that line the surface of the vulva. Most vulvar cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.
- Vulvar melanoma. This cancer begins in the pigment-producing cells found in the skin of the vulva.
- Increasing age. The risk of vulvar cancer increases with age, though it can occur at any age. The average age at diagnosis is 65.
- Being exposed to human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that increases the risk of several cancers, including vulvar cancer and cervical cancer. Many young, sexually active people are exposed to HPV, but for most the infection goes away on its own. For some, the infection causes cell changes and increases the risk of cancer in the future.
- Smoking. Smoking increases the risk of vulvar cancer.
- Having a weakened immune system. People who take medications to suppress the immune system, such as those who've undergone organ transplant, and those with conditions that weaken the immune system, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), have an increased risk of vulvar cancer.
- Having a history of precancerous conditions of the vulva. Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia is a precancerous condition that increases the risk of vulvar cancer. Most instances of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia will never develop into cancer, but a small number do go on to become invasive vulvar cancer. For this reason, your doctor may recommend treatment to remove the area of abnormal cells and periodic follow-up checks.
- Having a skin condition involving the vulva. Lichen sclerosus, which causes the vulvar skin to become thin and itchy, increases the risk of vulvar cancer.
- Use a condom every time you have sex. Condoms may reduce your risk of contracting HPV but can't fully protect against it.
- Get the HPV vaccine. Children and young adults may consider the HPV vaccine, which protects against the strains of the virus that are thought to cause the most cases of vulvar cancer.
Talk to your doctor about your risk factors for vulvar cancer and other pelvic cancers in order to determine the most appropriate screening exam schedule for you.
- Examining your vulva. Your doctor will likely conduct a physical exam of your vulva to look for abnormalities.
- Using a special magnifying device to examine your vulva. During a colposcopy exam, your doctor uses a device that works like a magnifying glass to closely inspect your vulva for abnormal areas.
- Removing a sample of tissue for testing (biopsy). To determine whether an area of suspicious skin on your vulva is cancer, your doctor may recommend removing a sample of skin for testing. During a biopsy procedure, the area is numbed with a local anesthetic and a scalpel or other special cutting tool is used to remove all or part of the suspicious area.
- Examination of your pelvic area for cancer spread. Your doctor may do a more thorough examination of your pelvis for signs that the cancer has spread.
- Imaging tests. Images of your chest or abdomen may show whether the cancer has spread to those areas. Imaging tests may include X-ray, computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET).
Treatment
Treatment options for vulvar cancer depend on the type, stage and location of your cancer, as well as your overall health and your preferences.
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted drug therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Follow-up tests after treatment
- Removing the cancer and a margin of healthy tissue (excision). This procedure, which may also be called a wide local excision or radical excision, involves cutting out the cancer and a small amount of normal tissue that surrounds it. Cutting out what doctors refer to as a margin of normal-looking tissue helps ensure that all of the cancerous cells have been removed.
- Removing part of the vulva or the entire vulva (vulvectomy). Surgery to remove part of the vulva (partial vulvectomy) or the entire vulva, including the underlying tissue (radical vulvectomy), may be an option for larger cancers. People with larger cancers may also consider treatment that combines radiation therapy and chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery, which may allow for a less extensive operation.
- Removing a few nearby lymph nodes (sentinel node biopsy). To determine whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, the surgeon may use a procedure called sentinel node biopsy. This procedure identifies the lymph nodes most likely to contain cancer so they can be removed and analyzed. If cancer isn't found in those first lymph nodes, it's unlikely to be in any other lymph nodes.
- Removing many lymph nodes. If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, many lymph nodes may be removed to reduce the risk that cancer will spread to distant areas of the body.
Radiation therapy is sometimes used to shrink large vulvar cancers in order to make it more likely that surgery will be successful. Radiation therapy is sometimes combined with chemotherapy, which can make cancer cells more vulnerable to the radiation.
If cancer cells are discovered in your lymph nodes, your doctor may recommend radiation to the area around your lymph nodes to kill any cancer cells that might remain after surgery. Radiation is sometimes combined with chemotherapy in these situations.
For those with advanced vulvar cancer that has spread to other areas of the body, chemotherapy may be an option.
Chemotherapy is sometimes combined with radiation therapy to shrink large vulvar cancers in order to make it more likely that surgery will be successful. Chemotherapy may also be combined with radiation to treat cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes.
Targeted therapy might be an option for treating advanced vulvar cancer.
Immunotherapy might be an option for treating advanced vulvar cancer.