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Summary
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 had 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. You are also at higher risk if you have had abnormal cells in the vagina, cervix, or uterus.
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 therapy, and chemotherapy.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Symptoms
- Symptoms of Vaginal and Vulvar Cancers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
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Colposcopy
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Stages of Vaginal Cancer
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Tests for Vaginal Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Can Vaginal Cancer Be Prevented? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Risk Factors for Vaginal Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
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Drugs Approved for Vaginal Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
- Gynecologic Cancers: Treatment Types (American Society for Radiation Oncology)
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Treatment Option Overview (Vaginal Cancer)
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
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Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Exposure and Cancer
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Fertility and Sexual Side Effects in People with Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Statistics and Research
- Key Statistics for Vaginal Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaginal Neoplasms
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Temporal trends and projections of gynecological cancers in China, 2007-2030.
- Article: Clinicopathological demographics of malignant melanomas of the vulva and vagina in...
- Article: The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the International Society for...
- Vaginal Cancer -- see more articles
Reference Desk
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Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society
- Find a Cancer Doctor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
- Find an Ob-Gyn (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
-
National Cancer Institute
Also in Spanish
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Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Children
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Childhood Cervical and Vaginal Cancer Treatment
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- After chemotherapy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pelvic radiation - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vaginal and Vulvar Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Vaginal cancer (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish