Vulvar Cancer (Print Version)

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Vulvar Cancer

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vulvarcancer.html

Vulvar cancer is a rare type of cancer. It forms in a woman's external genitals, called the vulva. The cancer usually develops slowly over several years. First, precancerous cells grow on vulvar skin. This is called vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), or dysplasia. Not all VIN cases turn into cancer, but it is best to treat it early.

Often, vulvar cancer doesn't cause early symptoms. However, see your doctor for testing if you notice

A lump in the vulva
Vulvar itching or tenderness
Bleeding that is not your period

Being older and having a human papillomavirus infection are risk factors for vulvar cancer. Treatment varies, depending on your overall health and how advanced the cancer is. It might include laser therapy, surgery, radiation or chemotherapy.

National Cancer Institute

Start Here

Vulvar Cancer(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/cancer/types/753.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/cancer/types/753.printerview.html
Vulvar Cancer (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/vulvar/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/vulva/patient/

Overviews

What Is Vulvar Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_is_vulvar_cancer_45.asp

Latest News

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

Diagnosis/Symptoms

Can Vulvar Cancer Be Found Early?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_can_vulvar_cancer_be_found_early_45.asp
How Is Vulvar Cancer Diagnosed?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_vulvar_cancer_diagnosed.asp
How Is Vulvar Cancer Staged?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_vulvar_cancer_staged.asp

Treatment

Treatment of Vulvar Adenocarcinoma(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_treatment_of_vulvar_adenocarcinoma_45.asp
Treatment of Vulvar Melanoma(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_treatment_of_vulvar_melanoma_45.asp
Treatment Options for Squamous Cell Vulvar Cancer by Stage(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_treatment_options_for_squamous_cell_vulvar_cancer_by_stage_45.asp
Vulvar Cancer Surgery(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Surgery_45.asp

Prevention/Screening

Can Vulvar Cancer Be Prevented?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_can_vulvar_cancer_be_prevented_45.asp

Disease Management

Do What You Can to Ease Side Effects of Treatment of Vulvar Cancer(Women's Cancer Network) - http://www.wcn.org/interior.cfm?pagetype=detail&diseaseid=12&contentid=10225&featureid=1&ContentTypeID=4
Vulvar Cancer: What Happens After Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5x_What_happens_after_treatment_45.asp

Specific Conditions

Types of Vulvar Cancer(Women's Cancer Network) - http://www.wcn.org/interior.cfm?pagetype=detail&diseaseid=12&contentid=10696&featureid=1&ContentTypeID=1
What to Know about Precancerous Vulvar Changes(Women's Cancer Network) - http://www.wcn.org/interior.cfm?pagetype=detail&diseaseid=12&contentid=10217&featureid=1&ContentTypeID=1

Related Issues

Cancer Treatment for Women: Possible Sexual Side Effects(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/cancer-treatment/SA00071/METHOD=print
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
What Are the Risk Factors for Vulvar Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_what_are_the_risk_factors_for_vulvar_cancer_45.asp
What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Vulvar Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_5x_what_should_you_ask_your_physician_about_vulvar_cancer.asp

Anatomy/Physiology

Vulvar Anatomy(National Vulvodynia Association) - http://www.nva.org/about_vulvodynia/vulvar_anatomy.html

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Vulvar Neoplasms(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Vulvar+Neoplasms%22

Research

Do We Know What Causes Vulvar Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_do_we_know_what_causes_vulvar_cancer.asp
Imiquimod May Help to Prevent Vulvar Cancer(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/VIN-imiquimod0408
Sentinel Node Dissection Safe in the Treatment of Early Vulvar Cancer(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/vulvar-SNB0308
What's New in Vulvar Cancer Research and Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_6x_whats_new_in_vulvar_cancer_research_and_treatment.asp

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: Lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy in gynecological cancers: a... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18492253&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: A randomized phase III trial of VH fibrin sealant to... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18482765&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: The economic burden of noncervical human papillomavirus disease in the... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18455524&tool=MedlinePlus
Vulvar Cancer -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=vulvar+neoplasms[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Dictionaries/Glossaries

Dictionary of Cancer Terms(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary/

Directories

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

Organizations

American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/

Statistics

What Are the Key Statistics about Vulvar Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_are_the_key_statistics_for_vulvar_cancer_45.asp

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Vaginal Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vaginalcancer.html
Vaginal Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vaginaldiseases.html
Vulvar Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vulvardisorders.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 Vulvar Cancer is the National Cancer Institute - http://www.nci.nih.gov/

Date last updated: September 14 2008

Topic last reviewed: July 04 2008