Hope and healing for vaginal and vulvar cancer
You're not just a patient; you're part of a compassionate and expert team dedicated to fighting vaginal and vulvar cancers. We offer advanced treatments and unwavering support, guiding you every step of the way. Discover how our integrated approach empowers your journey to healing.
Your Personalized Path to Recovery
When you choose TMC Health Cancer Center for vaginal and vulvar cancer treatment, you gain access to a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including gynecologic oncologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and supportive care professionals. We work collaboratively to develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs, considering your health, the cancer's stage, and your personal preferences. We leverage the latest advancements in cancer care within a supportive environment, ensuring you receive the highest standard of compassionate and effective treatment.
Newly diagnosed patients
We're here to help.
Facing cancer diagnosis is daunting, but you're not alone. TMC Health Cancer Center offers warm, expert guidance with the full support of Southern Arizona's largest healthcare system.
It's often best to meet a medical oncologist after diagnosis to create a treatment plan that works best for you. We also welcome second opinions, ensuring you feel informed and empowered every step of the way.
Vaginal and vulvar cancer basics, treatment and beyond
Vaginal and vulvar cancers often don't cause symptoms in their early stages, which is why regular pelvic exams and Pap smears are so important for early detection. When symptoms do occur:
- For vaginal cancer:
- For vulvar cancer:
Diagnosing vaginal or vulvar cancer typically begins with a thorough physical examination, including a pelvic exam where your healthcare professional inspects the reproductive organs.
- Visual Inspection and Colposcopy: For both, a colposcopy, which uses a lighted magnifying instrument, helps detect cancerous changes or areas for biopsy.
- Pap Test: For vaginal cancer, a Pap test may also be performed to detect abnormal cells.
- Biopsy: The definitive diagnosis for both cancers is made through a biopsy, where a tissue sample is removed from any suspicious areas and examined under a microscope. This can often be done in the office with local anesthetic or in an operating room.
- Staging Tests: If cancer is confirmed, staging is performed to determine the extent of the cancer. This involves additional tests like X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, or PET scans to check for spread, and procedures using tiny cameras such as cystoscopy for the bladder or proctoscopy for the rectum.
Early detection is critical in the successful treatment of both vaginal and vulvar cancers.
- Because symptoms often don't appear until later stages, regular gynecological check-ups, including pelvic exams and Pap smears for vaginal health, are vital, especially if you have risk factors.
- When these cancers are found early, they are often localized and more treatable, leading to better outcomes and a higher chance of successful remission.
- Early diagnosis allows for less aggressive treatments and can significantly improve your long-term prognosis.
The exact causes of vaginal and vulvar cancers are not fully understood, but both are strongly linked to certain factors that damage cells.
- The most significant cause for both is infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that can cause changes in the cells of the vagina, cervix, and vulva, potentially leading to cancer over time.
- While HPV is a major risk factor, not everyone with HPV will develop cancer, indicating that other factors contribute to their development.
- For vulvar cancer, it specifically occurs when DNA changes in vulvar cells cause them to grow and multiply rapidly, forming a tumor.
- Several factors can increase your risk of developing vaginal or vulvar cancer:
Yes, the HPV vaccine is a powerful tool in preventing both vaginal and vulvar cancers.
- Since persistent infection with certain high-risk types of HPV is the leading cause for a significant number of these cancers, vaccination can significantly reduce your risk.
- The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that most commonly cause cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers.
- It is most effective when administered before exposure to the virus, ideally in adolescence. Discuss HPV vaccination with your doctor to understand if it's the right choice for you or your loved ones.
Treatment for vaginal and vulvar cancers is highly individualized and depends on the type of cancer, its stage, the tumor's location, and your overall health. Our multidisciplinary team at TMC Health Cancer Center will develop a personalized plan that may include one or a combination of the following:
- Surgery: Involves removing the cancerous tissue and, sometimes, surrounding healthy tissue or lymph nodes.
- Radiation Therapy: Uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells, delivered either externally or internally.
- Chemotherapy: Uses powerful drugs to destroy cancer cells and is often given in combination with radiation therapy to enhance its effectiveness or for more advanced or recurrent cancers.
- Targeted Therapy: Attacks specific vulnerabilities in cancer cells, causing them to die, often used for advanced cases.
- Immunotherapy: Harnesses your body's immune system to fight cancer, potentially used for advanced cases.
- Clinical Trials: Offering innovative new treatments may also be considered.
Surgical approaches for vaginal and vulvar cancers vary depending on the extent and location of the tumor:
- Wide Local Excision: For very early-stage or precancerous cells, this removes the abnormal tissue and a small margin of healthy surrounding tissue.
- For Vaginal Cancer:
- For Vulvar Cancer:
- Pelvic Exenteration: In rare, advanced cases of either cancer, this complex surgery might be considered, involving the removal of multiple pelvic organs.
- Vaginal Reconstruction: For patients undergoing complete vaginectomy, this uses skin or muscle tissue to allow for vaginal intercourse, though sensation and lubrication may differ. Your surgeon will discuss the most appropriate surgical option for your specific situation.
Radiation therapy is a cornerstone of both vaginal and vulvar cancer treatment, using high-energy X-rays or other particles to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. It can be delivered in two main ways:
- External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT): Uses a machine outside your body to direct radiation beams to the tumor area. This is often used for larger areas, to shrink tumors before surgery, or to target lymph node areas after surgery to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.
- Internal Radiation Therapy (Brachytherapy): For vaginal cancer, this involves placing radioactive sources directly into or near the tumor within the vagina. This delivers a high dose of radiation to the cancer while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. Brachytherapy can be temporary or permanent. Often, both external and internal radiation are used in combination to achieve the most effective outcome, especially for more advanced stages. Radiation can cause side effects, which our team will help you manage.
These systemic treatments use powerful drugs to fight cancer cells throughout the body:
- Chemotherapy: Often used in combination with radiation therapy (chemoradiation) to enhance its effectiveness for locally advanced tumors, or to treat cancer that has recurred or spread to distant parts of the body (metastatic cancer).
- Targeted Therapy: Employs medicines that specifically attack chemicals within cancer cells, causing them to die. This is often used for advanced vulvar cancer.
- Immunotherapy: Helps the body's immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells by making them visible to the immune system. This may be used for advanced vulvar cancer or vaginal melanoma. The specific drugs and regimen will be chosen based on the type of cancer, its stage, and your overall health. Our team will guide you through the process and help manage any potential side effects.
Receiving a vaginal or vulvar cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, but please know you are not alone.
- At TMC Health Cancer Center, our first step is to confirm the diagnosis and accurately determine the cancer's stage, which is crucial for creating the most effective treatment plan.
- You'll meet with a multidisciplinary team of specialists who will explain your specific diagnosis, discuss all available treatment options, and outline what to expect during your journey.
- We strongly encourage you to ask questions and bring a loved one to appointments for support.
- Our team will provide comprehensive support, including emotional counseling, nutrition guidance, and pain management, to address all your needs and improve your quality of life, even alongside active cancer treatments.
At TMC Health Cancer Center, we believe in the power of a multidisciplinary team approach for vaginal and vulvar cancer care.
- This means a group of specialists, including gynecologic oncologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and supportive care professionals (nurses, social workers, dietitians, and rehabilitation therapists), work together.
- They collaboratively review your case, discuss all aspects of your diagnosis, and collectively develop a personalized and comprehensive treatment plan tailored specifically for you.
- This integrated approach ensures you receive the most advanced and coordinated care, benefiting from the combined expertise of leading specialists, and ultimately leads to better outcomes.
Coping with a cancer diagnosis and treatment is a challenging journey, and support is vital. At TMC Health Cancer Center, we offer various supportive services to help you and your family every step of the way:
- Patient navigators who can guide you through your care.
- Access to social workers for emotional support and resource navigation.
- Nutrition counseling to help maintain your strength.
- Rehabilitation services to aid in recovery.
- Connections to support groups where you can share experiences with others facing similar challenges.
- Reaching out for support is a sign of strength, and our team is here to help you find the resources you need. Maintaining intimacy with partners and building a strong support network (friends, family, social workers, psychologists, spiritual leaders) are also important aspects of coping.
Preparing for your first appointment after a vaginal or vulvar cancer diagnosis can help you feel more in control and ensure you get the most out of your visit:
- Write down any questions or concerns you have beforehand.
- Bring a list of all your current medications, including dosages.
- Bring any relevant medical records, such as previous test results or pathology reports.
- Consider bringing a family member or trusted friend with you to take notes and offer emotional support. Taking these steps can help you better understand your diagnosis and treatment options. After completing treatment, follow-up care involves periodic exams, typically 2 to 4 times annually for the first two years, to monitor for any recurrence of the cancer.
