Cancer of the vulva forms in the vulva, the area around the external genital organs on a woman. The vulva includes the following parts:
A risk factor is anything that may increase a person's chance of developing a disease. It may be an activity, such as smoking, diet, family history, or many other things. Different diseases, including cancers, have different risk factors.Although these factors can increase a person's risk, they do not necessarily cause the disease. Some people with one or more risk factors never develop cancer, while others develop cancer and have no known risk factors.But, knowing your risk factors to any disease can help to guide you into the appropriate actions, including changing behaviors and being clinically monitored for the disease.
The following have been suggested as risk factors for vulvar cancer:
The following are the most common symptoms of vulvar cancer. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
Vulvar cancer is diagnosed by biopsy, removing a section of tissue for examination by a pathologist.
Treatment options for vulvar cancer may include any or all of the following:
After treatment, women with vulvar cancer will need to have regular check-ups. During these visits, the doctor may perform a pelvic examination. Other tests, including ultrasound, chest X-ray, or computed tomography, will be done only when needed.