Vaginal Cancer: Risk Factors, Symptoms and Prevention

Vaginal cancer is a rare cancer that starts in the vagina — the canal from the cervix (the opening of the uterus) to the outside of the body.

Who is more likely to get it

• people 60 or older;
• people who have had certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection;
• people exposed before birth to DES (diethylstilbestrol), a drug sometimes prescribed from 1940 to 1971 to prevent miscarriage and later linked to health problems including vaginal cancer;
• people who have had abnormal cells in the vagina, cervix or uterus.

Symptoms

Often there are no early symptoms. See your provider if you notice:

• vaginal bleeding that isn't your period;
• a lump in the vagina;
• pelvic pain;
• pain during sex or when urinating;
• constipation, or blood in your stool or urine.

Diagnosis

• a pelvic exam, perhaps with a Pap test and/or HPV test;
• colposcopy, to examine the cervix, vagina and vulva;
• a biopsy, removing cells to check for cancer.

Treatment

Found early, vaginal cancer can often be cured. Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy.

Prevention

HPV vaccines may lower the risk. They protect best before exposure to HPV — so it's best to be vaccinated before becoming sexually active.

Sources

Based on "Vaginal Cancer," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the NIH National Cancer Institute; a work of the United States government in the public domain.