Vaginal cancer is a rare type of cancer. It is more common in women 60 and older. You are also more likely to get it if you have a human papillomavirus ( HPV) infection or if your mother took diethylstilbestrol (DES) when she was pregnant. Doctors prescribed DES in the 1950's to prevent miscarriages.
It often doesn't have early symptoms. However, see your doctor if you notice
- Bleeding that is not your period
- A vaginal lump
- Pelvic pain
A Pap test can find abnormal cells that may be cancer. Vaginal cancer can often be cured in its early stages. Treatment might include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
National Cancer Institute
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Vaginal Cancer (PDQ): Treatment
(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/vaginal/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/vagina/patient/ - What Is Vaginal Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_is_vaginal_cancer_55.asp
- Vaginal Cancer(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Vaginal+Cancer
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FDA Approves Expanded Uses for Gardasil to Include Preventing Certain Vulvar and Vaginal Cancers(09/12/2008, Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01885.html
- Can Vaginal Cancer Be Found Early?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_can_vaginal_cancer_be_found_early_55.asp
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Colposcopy(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/082.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/082.printerview.html
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Colposcopy
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colposcopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/colposcopyspanish/htm/index.htm - How Is Vaginal Cancer Diagnosed?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_vaginal_cancer_diagnosed_55.asp
- How Is Vaginal Cancer Staged?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_vaginal_cancer_staged_55.asp
- Vaginal Bleeding(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/vaginal-bleeding/MY00209/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Treatment Options for Precancerous Lesions in the Vagina(Women's Cancer Network) - http://www.wcn.org/interior.cfm?pagetype=detail&diseaseid=14&contentid=10685&featureid=1&ContentTypeID=1
- Vaginal Cancer Radiation Therapy(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Radiation_Therapy_55.asp
- Vaginal Cancer Surgery(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Surgery_55.asp
- Vaginal Cancer: Treatment Options by Stage and Type(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4x_Treatment_options_by_stage_55.asp
- Abnormal Pap Test Results(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZCUC0887C&sub_cat=9
- Can Vaginal Cancer Be Prevented?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_can_vaginal_cancer_be_prevented_55.asp
- Do What You Can to Ease Side Effects of Treatment for Vaginal Cancer(Women's Cancer Network) - http://www.wcn.org/interior.cfm?pagetype=detail&diseaseid=14&contentid=10683&featureid=1&ContentTypeID=4
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Vaginal Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_5x_what_should_you_ask_your_physician_about_vaginal_cancer_55.asp
- DES (Diethylstilbestrol) Update: Consumers(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/DES/consumers/
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DES: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/DES
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Diethylstilbestrol(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/822.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/822.printerview.html
- Do We Know What Causes Vaginal Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_do_we_know_what_causes_vaginal_cancer_55.asp
- Professional Help: Sexuality and Cancer(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/mit/content/mit_7_2x_where_to_seek_professional_help_women.asp
- Sexuality Issues(Women's Cancer Network) - http://www.wcn.org/interior.cfm?pagetype=detail&diseaseid=14&contentid=10249&featureid=1&ContentTypeID=5
- What Are the Risk Factors for Vaginal Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_what_are_the_risk_factors_for_vaginal_cancer_55.asp
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Colposcopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colposcopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/colposcopyspanish/htm/index.htm
- Atlas of the Body: Female Reproductive Organs(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ8QKJ56JC&sub_cat=516
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaginal Neoplasms(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Vaginal+Neoplasms%22
- What's New in Vaginal Cancer Research and Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_6x_whats_new_in_vaginal_cancer_research_and_treatment_55.asp
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Villous adenoma: a rare tumor of vaginal vault. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18603704&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Smoking increases the risk of high-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18586314&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Successful topical treatment with mitomycin-C in a female with post-brachytherapy... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18506768&tool=MedlinePlus
- Vaginal Cancer -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=vaginal+neoplasms[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Dictionary of Cancer Terms(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary/
- ACOG's Physician Directory(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/member-lookup/disclaimer.cfm
- Find a Gynecologic Oncologist(Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, Women's Cancer Network) - http://www.wcn.org/interior.cfm?diseaseid=13&featureid=4
- American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
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National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/
- What Are the Key Statistics for Vaginal Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_are_the_key_statistics_for_vaginal_cancer_55.asp
- Vulvar Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vulvarcancer.html
- Cancers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cancers.html
- Female Reproductive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/femalereproductivesystem.html
- Women - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/women.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Vaginal Cancer is the National Cancer Institute - http://www.nci.nih.gov/