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Even with an annual Pap smear test and the new vaccination for young women, cervical cancer can’t be totally prevented. But there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of developing cancer of the cervix.
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Vaginal cancer is a relatively rare disorder, comprising about 2% to 3% of all gynecologic cancers. Approximately 2,400 women are diagnosed each year with vaginal cancer in the United States.
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Thought to be caused by a problem with the genetic information transmitted between an egg and sperm, molar pregnancy can develop during the first trimester of pregnancy.
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Vulvar Cancer Facts
Causes of Vulvar Cancer
Vulvar cancer usually develops over time. Known as vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, or dysplasia, the abnormal cells take time to grow on the surface of the vulvar skin. Vulva cancer is essentially skin cancer of the vulva.
While the cause is not generally known, there are certain risk factors that increase the chance you will develop vulvar cancer.
Risk factors include:
- An HPV infection (human papillomavirus) or history of Condyloma (warts)
- Age greater than 40
- History of smoking
Early signs and symptoms of vulva cancer include:
- A lump in the vulva
- Bleeding that is not related to menstruation
- Itching in the vulva region that won’t go away, even with treatment
- Tenderness in the area of the vulvar
Women who have one or more of these risk factors should let their doctor know about them. This will allow your doctor to monitor your health and look for additional signs of vulvar cancer. Early detection and treatment is essential to improving survivability.
Vulvar Cancer Statistics
In the U.S. vulvar cancer accounts for 4% of all cancers of the female reproductive organs. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 3,500 women develop vulvar cancer each year and about 900 will die from the cancer.
Vulvar cancer is most prevalent in women ages 55 to 85, though it can also occur in women who are younger than 40.
90% of all vulvar cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, a type of skin cancer. A small percentage of vulvar cancers start out as melonomas.
When the cancer is restricted to the vulva, the survival rate is extremely high, over 90%. If the cancer has spread to the surrounding lymph nodes, the survival rate drops to 50% to 70%.