2023 American Cancer Society, Inc. All rights reserved. arrow-right-small-blue The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Stage I: The cancer is confined to the vulva. Although each person's cancer experience is unique, cancers with similar stages tend to have a similar outlook and are often treated in much the same way. A nodular squamous cell carcimona on the vulva Most often, the cancer affects the labia. These include: If tests show signs of cancer, your doctor will look at how big the tumor is and whether its spread. Other types include Paget's disease of the vulva, vulvar adenocarcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care. All rights reserved. As more women live longer, this cancer is likely to become more common. Treatment for vulvar cancer may involve removing part of the vulva (partial vulvectomy) or the entire vulva (radical vulvectomy). During surgery, doctors then check for lymph nodes that look blue or green or that give off a radioactive signal (detected by a handheld device). Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams, such as X-rays and protons, to kill cancer cells. These discoveries have not yet affected treatment. Your body might look or feel different. Nothing concrete is known about how vulvar melanomas and adenocarcinomas because these types of vulvar tumors are rare. This content does not have an Arabic version. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment. Understanding Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment, Unusual growths or bumps that may be red, pink, or white and feel rough or thick. Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing. Our syndication services page shows you how. We couldnt do what we do without our volunteers and donors. All or part of the vulva and any other affected areas are removed surgically. 2023 American Cancer Society, Inc. All rights reserved. A bump or lump, which could be red, pink, or white and could have a wart-like or raw surface or feel rough or thick Thickening of the skin of the vulva Itching Pain or burning Know the signs and symptoms of vulvar cancer. Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. It forms in a woman's external genitals, called the vulva. The best way to cite this PDQ summary is: PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board. The average age at diagnosis is 70 years. After the cancer is removed, surgery to reconstruct the vulva and other affected areas (such as the vagina) may be done. If the areas are larger (macrometastases), the lymph nodes in the groin are removed (lymphadenectomy). 1996-2023 MedicineNet, Inc. An Internet Brands company. Help us end cancer as we know it,for everyone. Some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated. Vulvar Cancer A relatively rare and slow-growing malignancy, vulvar cancer develops in the outer surface of the female genitalia (vulva). Line editable medical icons. See Drugs Approved to Treat Vulvar Cancer for more information. We couldnt do what we do without our volunteers and donors. Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. The link you have selected will take you to a third-party website. It may be done before the surgery to shrink the tumor and make the surgery easier to be performed. The cancer usually grows slowly over several years. Information about using the images in this summary, along with many other images related to cancer can be found in Visuals Online. These organs include the reproductive organs (vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries), bladder, urethra, rectum, and anus. Accessed Sept. 30, 2020. One of the following types of surgery may be done to treat VIN: The goal of surgery for vulvar cancer is to remove all the cancer without any loss of the woman's sexual function. It can look like a cyst. Not every person with one or more of these risk factors will develop vulvar cancer, and it will develop in people who don't have any known risk factors. (VC-patient5), A vulval squamous cell carcinoma arising on vulval lichen sclerosus, Dermoscopy of a vulval malignant melanoma Immunotherapy works by interfering with that process. Research. Whether the cancer has spread to nearby areas or other parts of the body. Vulvar tumors typically look like any of the following, including a cauliflower-like wart, red or pink bump, or lightened or darkened skin. Radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy. o [teenager OR adolescent ]. Blood. Vulval lichen sclerosus. Dont hesitate to talk to your medical team about these changes and what steps you can take. Treatment given after the surgery, to lower the risk that the cancer will come back, is called adjuvant therapy. The cancer travels through the, Blood. The vulva is the area of skin that surrounds the urethra and vagina, including the clitoris and labia. An area on the vulva that looks different from normal - it could be lighter or darker than the normal skin around it, or look red or pink. Most of these cancers grow slowly, remaining on the surface for years. The type of cancer, if present, can also be identified, helping doctors develop a treatment plan. They may be irregular, flat or raised read more , which develop in the pigment-producing cells of the skin (melanocytes). Its important to keep the area clean and practice good hygiene. One of the following types of surgery may be done to treat vulvar cancer: After the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery, some patients may be given chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left. How often do you experience these symptoms? The symptoms of vulvar cancer depend on the type of vulvar. For example, if vulvar cancer spreads to the lung, the cancer cells in the lung are actually vulvar cancer cells. Some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working. What does it take to outsmart cancer? The small pieces of tumor are washed away and removed by suction. Endometrial Cancer Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging cancer.org | 1.800.227.2345 . You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. Vulval lichen sclerosus. But sometimes doctors can instead do a sentinel lymph node What Is a Sentinel Lymph Node? It usually appears on skin thats exposed to the sun, rarely on the vulva. Vulvar cancer is a type of cancer that occurs on the outer surface area of the female genitalia. The American Cancer Society is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. 6th ed. The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. The staging system below does not apply to malignant melanoma of the vulva, which is staged like melanoma of the skin. Below are some of the resources we provide. Clinical trials can be found online at NCI's website. Immunotherapy is reserved for certain cases of advanced vulvar cancer. A plaque arising on longstanding lichen sclarosus - a squamous cell carcinoma on biopsy (VC . Mons pubis (the rounded area in front of the pubic bones that becomes covered with hair at. Symptoms include changes in vulvar skin color and lumps or open sores. , MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; The cancer may appear to be a lump, an itchy area, or a sore that does not heal. Such treatment can shrink very large cancers, making them easier to remove. Here are some questions you can ask your cancer care team to help you better understand your cancer diagnosis and treatment options. Recent evidence suggests that vulvar cancer . Research. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. General information about clinical trials is also available. Vulvar Cancer Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging Know the signs and symptoms of vulvar cancer. The following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process: Cancer can spread through tissue, the lymph system, and the blood: When cancer spreads to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body. Accessed Sept. 30, 2020. Doctors remove this lymph node and send it to a laboratory to be checked for cancer. All rights reserved. Overall, more than 70% of women who have vulvar cancer live at least 5 years after theyre diagnosed. Treatments include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. A vulvar tumor can look like anything that includes: The most common symptom associated with vulvar tumors includes itching that does not go away. The exact causes of vulvar cancer arent clear. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service (CIS), NCI's contact center, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). Bleeding with bowel movements, pain, and sometimes itching around the anus are typical symptoms. Vulvar cancer forms in a woman's external genitalia. Tissue. At the American Cancer Society, we have a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Melanomas can begin on normal skin or in existing moles. What Parents Should Know About the HPV, or Cervical Cancer, Vaccine, Vaginal Problems That Affect Your Sex Life. Reconstructive surgery can help improve appearance and function. Melanomas may be bluish black or brown and raised. External radiation therapy may also be used as Note that this may not provide an exact translation in all languages, Home For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section. Cervical cancer usually results from infection read more, Cancer or precancer of the anus Anal Cancer Risk factors for anal cancer include certain sexually transmitted infections. Updated