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Cancer of the vulva is a relatively rare malignant tumor of a woman's external reproductive organs, i.e. the labia and clitoris. Vulva cancer early symptoms - a small lump or ulcer is easy to spot, provided you have regular check-ups with your gynecologist.

Cancer of the vulvais quite rare. This is about 5% of all tumors in the female reproductive organs. Medical statistics show that the most common type of cancer is squamous cell carcinoma, which is a type of skin cancer. About 5% of vulvar cancers are melanoma. Other types of this cancer develop (even more rarely) in areas with chronic vulvitis, especially in postmenopausal women.

Early pre-invasive formvulvar canceris easy to treat. However, neglecting the changes that have occurred may lead to the spread of the disease to neighboring tissues and metastasize to other organs through the lymphatic system. In Poland, there are about 490 cases ofvulvar cancerper year, i.e. the disease affects 1 in 100,000 Polish women, most often in advanced age.

Cancer of the vulvaaccounts for 0.7% of all malignant neoplasms in women. Tumors of the vulva and vagina are responsible for 1% of the so-called cancer deaths among women. The risk of developing the disease increases from the sixth decade of life.

In Polandvulvar cancerranks fourth in terms of the incidence of malignant neoplasms of the reproductive organ: after cervical cancer, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer. Every year in Poland approximately 350 new cases of this cancer are diagnosed. Annually, due tovulvar cancer , 200 women die in Poland (data from the National Cancer Registry).

The average (raw) incidence rate in our country is - 1.4 / 100,000. Therefore, Polish women constitute a population with an average risk of developing vulvar cancer. Around 27,000 women are diagnosed with it every year. Most cases - around 16,000 - are observed in highly developed countries.

Cancer of the vulva - symptoms

The disease usually develops as a small ulcer or lump that can be felt through daily hygiene activities. Most cases develop in older women, but smoking is one of the risk factors for developing vulvar cancer. A common early symptom of vulva diseaseincluding cancer, there is itching of the vulva resulting from changes in the epithelium covering the vulva. This is called dystrophy, or thinning of the vulva.

More advanced cases of the disease are more often diagnosed in women with a lower social status. The development ofvulvar canceris usually preceded by changes in the surface epithelium of the vulva, referred to as vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia ( vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia- VIN). In women who regularly visit the gynecologist, the diagnosis of these changes is not difficult, which prevents the development of cancer.

Cancer of the vulvacan develop in several places simultaneously, i.e. multifocal. More advanced cases ofvulvar cancerare manifested by pain, bleeding, urination disorders, and difficulty sitting. However, the most common first symptom is usually a lump or sore, unfortunately often neglected by women.

Each "pustule" that appears on the external genitalia should be a reason to visit the gynecologist to start treatment as soon as possible, if necessary.

Cancer of the vulva - types of cancer

There are two types of vulvar cancer.Less commonvulvar cancerdevelops in younger women. Usually between 45 and 55 years of age. It is most often associated with infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is found in approximately 50-60% of cases of this form of vulvar cancer. The characteristic symptom of this formvulvar canceris ulceration or flat, hard lesions of pink, red, or white color.

A more common form ofvulvar canceris a cancer that develops in the course of chronic diseases of the skin and mucosa of the vulva. Most cases affect women around the age of 70. The cancer usually appears as a hard, painless lump.

Cancer of the vulva - diagnosis

The diagnosis is made by a gynecologist. Seeing suspicious changes in the vulva, he takes a swab or a clipping. It is also permissible to excise small nodules entirely. It is only on the basis of the histopathological examination of the collected material that the disease is diagnosed and the histological type of vulvar cancer is determined, because vulvar cancer is divided into types:

  • keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva(accounts for 65-90% of cases)
  • papillomatous vulva cancer
  • light cell vulva cancer
  • adenocarcinoma of the vulva
  • Paget's cancer

Unfortunately, in many cases women come to the doctor too late, with an already advanced form of the disease, i.e. with large tumors of the vulva and perineum,growing deep into the vagina and anus or with lymph node metastases in the groin, which feel like hard, painless lumps.

Cancer of the vulva - treatment

Additional tests are necessary before starting treatment. These include:

  • cytology
  • colposcopy
  • ultrasound of the reproductive organ
  • x-ray of the lungs
  • blood tests
  • and sometimes also computed tomography of the pelvis and abdominal cavity

Sometimes aspiration biopsy of the lymph nodes is also performed.

Treatment of vulvar cancer is difficult and should be carried out by gynecologists-oncologists.Most often it consists of excision of the labia with a tumor with a wide margin of he althy tissue and lymph nodes in the groin. Advanced cases are treated with radiation (radiotherapy) or with a combination of surgery and radiation.

Cancer of the vulvais not very sensitive to chemotherapy, but it is used in some cases. Treatment is usually difficult due to the old age of the patients, comorbidities and a significant advancement of the disease.

Cancer of the vulva - prognosis

In the case of early stagevulvar cancer , i.e. when the nodule is smaller than 2 cm, the prognosis is very good and can heal up to 90% of patients.Cancer of the vulvahas a tendency to recur within the surgical scar, therefore the perineum should be monitored even for several years after the procedure. The prognosis worsens significantly when the inguinal lymph nodes have metastasized (stage III disease).

The prognosis is bad when the surgeon made an incision with too little he althy tissue margin.

Worth knowing

The vulva is the female external genitalia. It consists of the pubic mound, the labia majora, the labia minora, the vestibule of the vagina and accompanying glands, the mouth of the urethra and the clitoris. The vulva can affect many diseases of varying degrees of pain, itching, burning, irritation, redness and swelling.

The most common vulvar diseases are lichen sclerosus, lichen planus, vulvitis, pains, cysts,vulvar cancer , pubic lice and condylomas.

Naboth cysts - causes, symptoms and treatment

Vulvitis: causes, symptoms, treatment

Intimate infections: trichomoniasis, mycosis, chlamydiosis, vaginosis, herpes

Genital warts: genital warts caused by HPV

About the authorAnna Jarosz A journalist who has been involved in popularizing he alth education for over 40 years. Winner of many competitions for journalistsdealing with medicine and he alth. She received, among others The "Golden OTIS" Trust Award in the "Media and He alth" category, St. Kamil awarded on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick, twice the "Crystal Pen" in the national competition for journalists promoting he alth, and many awards and distinctions in competitions for the "Medical Journalist of the Year" organized by the Polish Association of Journalists for He alth.

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Category:

Oncology