Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of Vaginal CancerVaginal Cancer SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types of Vaginal Cancer
Vaginal Cancer Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
Vaginal cancer is a disease in which cells in the vagina begin to grow out of control. It’s considered a rare form of cancer, with only about one of every 1,100 women developing vaginal cancer in her lifetime.It is more common in women age 60 or older.
If you’ve been infected with thehuman papillomavirus(HPV) or your mother was prescribed diethylstilbestrol (DES) to prevent a miscarriage in the 1950s, you are at increased risk of developing vaginal cancer.Your risk of vaginal cancer is also higher if you have had abnormal cells in the vagina, cervix, or uterus.
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There are five types of vaginal cancer, and each type forms from a different type of cell in the vagina:
How a Vagina Looks and Functions
In the early stages of vaginal cancer, symptoms may not appear. Symptoms only become noticeable when the cancer has progressed and spread deeper into the layers of the vagina’s tissue. Because of this, it’s important for women to have regular gynecological exams, which can sometimes detect vaginal cancer even before symptoms appear.
Eight out of 10 women with invasive vaginal cancer have one or more of the following symptoms:
Surgery to Treat Vaginal Septum
The exact cause of most vaginal cancers is not known, but it is linked to a number of conditions and risk factors, including:
Note that these risk factors do not necessarily mean that someone will definitely develop vaginal cancer. If you have any of these risk factors and are concerned about having vaginal cancer, talk to your healthcare provider.
Signs and Symptoms of HIV in Women
Routine well-woman exams and cervical cancer screening can sometimes find cases of VAIN and early invasive vaginal cancer. If you are experiencing symptoms, your healthcare provider will use a number of tests to determine whether you have vaginal cancer, including:
Treatment for vaginal cancer depends on the type of cell, the stage of cancer, and your age. The stages of vaginal cancer are classified as follows:
The three standard types of treatment for vaginal cancer include surgery,chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
How Cancer Is Treated
Chemotherapy
Long Term Side Effects of Chemotherapy for Cancer
Radiation Therapy
Vaginal cancer can be treated with external beam radiation therapy and internal radiation therapy (also known as intracavity brachytherapy).A combination of the twowith or without low doses of chemotherapy is commonly used for vaginal cancer. With external beam radiation therapy, radiation is delivered from outside the body. It can shrink tumors so they can be easier to remove with surgery. Internal radiation therapy places a cylinder containing radioactive material inside the vagina to deliver radiation. When given this way, the radiation mainly affects the tissue in contact with the cylinder.
Long-Term Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
Surgery
Possible surgery may include:
Once the cancer is removed, you may receive radiation therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells or to keep them from developing.
Note that these percentages apply only to the stage of the cancer when it is first diagnosed, and doesn’t apply if the cancer changes, spreads, or recurs after treatment. These numbers also don’t take everything into account. Other factors such as age, general health, the type of vaginal cancer, and treatment response all affect a person’s prognosis.
After receiving a cancer diagnosis, you may feel overwhelmed and frightened, but also worried about financial issues from having to take time off from work to dealing with insurance to handling the expensive cost of treatments.
Ask your healthcare team questions, so you’re prepared for each step of the process. If finances are becoming a burden during this troubling time, several organizations can help with medical costs.
Finally, and most importantly, don’t forget your emotional well-being. Numerous organizations provide one-on-one counseling, but can also help you find a safe support network with other cancer patients facing similar difficulties.
A Word From Verywell
If you’ve had HPV or cervical cancer and you’re experiencing symptoms that point to the possibility of vaginal cancer, don’t ignore them. Go see your healthcare provider as soon as possible to either confirm or rule out vaginal cancer. As difficult as it may be to keep calm, surround yourself with your support network. Keep in mind that many of the symptoms could point to another condition, and having these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you may have cancer. If you have been diagnosed with vaginal cancer, be sure to inform your oncologist and the rest of the team about other conditions you may have.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Key statistics for vaginal cancer.MedlinePlus.Vaginal cancer.Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.Vaginal cancer.National Cancer Institute.Vaginal cancer treatment (Pdq®)–patient version.Deng HY, Zeng M, Li G, et al.Lung adenocarcinoma has a higher risk of lymph node metastasis than squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score-matched analysis.World J Surg. 2019;43(3):955-962. doi:10.1007/s00268-018-4848-7American Cancer Society.What is vaginal cancer?Cleveland Clinic.Vaginal cancer.Cleveland Clinic.Vaginal cancer: symptoms, causes, tests and treatment.American Cancer Society.What causes vaginal cancer?American Cancer Society.Risk factors for vaginal cancer.American Cancer Society.Vaginal cancer stages.American Cancer Society.Chemotherapy for vaginal cancer.American Cancer Society.Radiation therapy for vaginal cancer.American Cancer Society.Laser surgery for vaginal pre-cancer.American Cancer Society.Survival rates for vaginal cancer.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Key statistics for vaginal cancer.MedlinePlus.Vaginal cancer.Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.Vaginal cancer.National Cancer Institute.Vaginal cancer treatment (Pdq®)–patient version.Deng HY, Zeng M, Li G, et al.Lung adenocarcinoma has a higher risk of lymph node metastasis than squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score-matched analysis.World J Surg. 2019;43(3):955-962. doi:10.1007/s00268-018-4848-7American Cancer Society.What is vaginal cancer?Cleveland Clinic.Vaginal cancer.Cleveland Clinic.Vaginal cancer: symptoms, causes, tests and treatment.American Cancer Society.What causes vaginal cancer?American Cancer Society.Risk factors for vaginal cancer.American Cancer Society.Vaginal cancer stages.American Cancer Society.Chemotherapy for vaginal cancer.American Cancer Society.Radiation therapy for vaginal cancer.American Cancer Society.Laser surgery for vaginal pre-cancer.American Cancer Society.Survival rates for vaginal cancer.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.Key statistics for vaginal cancer.MedlinePlus.Vaginal cancer.Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.Vaginal cancer.National Cancer Institute.Vaginal cancer treatment (Pdq®)–patient version.Deng HY, Zeng M, Li G, et al.Lung adenocarcinoma has a higher risk of lymph node metastasis than squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score-matched analysis.World J Surg. 2019;43(3):955-962. doi:10.1007/s00268-018-4848-7American Cancer Society.What is vaginal cancer?Cleveland Clinic.Vaginal cancer.Cleveland Clinic.Vaginal cancer: symptoms, causes, tests and treatment.American Cancer Society.What causes vaginal cancer?American Cancer Society.Risk factors for vaginal cancer.American Cancer Society.Vaginal cancer stages.American Cancer Society.Chemotherapy for vaginal cancer.American Cancer Society.Radiation therapy for vaginal cancer.American Cancer Society.Laser surgery for vaginal pre-cancer.American Cancer Society.Survival rates for vaginal cancer.
American Cancer Society.Key statistics for vaginal cancer.
MedlinePlus.Vaginal cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.Vaginal cancer.
National Cancer Institute.Vaginal cancer treatment (Pdq®)–patient version.
Deng HY, Zeng M, Li G, et al.Lung adenocarcinoma has a higher risk of lymph node metastasis than squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score-matched analysis.World J Surg. 2019;43(3):955-962. doi:10.1007/s00268-018-4848-7
American Cancer Society.What is vaginal cancer?
Cleveland Clinic.Vaginal cancer.
Cleveland Clinic.Vaginal cancer: symptoms, causes, tests and treatment.
American Cancer Society.What causes vaginal cancer?
American Cancer Society.Risk factors for vaginal cancer.
American Cancer Society.Vaginal cancer stages.
American Cancer Society.Chemotherapy for vaginal cancer.
American Cancer Society.Radiation therapy for vaginal cancer.
American Cancer Society.Laser surgery for vaginal pre-cancer.
American Cancer Society.Survival rates for vaginal cancer.
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