Vaginal Cancer

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

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

Start Here

• General Information about Vaginal Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Vaginal Cancer Overview (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
• What Is Vaginal Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Symptoms

• Symptoms of Vaginal and Vulvar Cancers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Colposcopy (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• How Is Vaginal Cancer Diagnosed? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Stages of Vaginal Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Can Vaginal Cancer Be Prevented? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• What Are the Risk Factors for Vaginal Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Drugs Approved for Vaginal Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
• Gynecologic Cancers: Treatment Types (American Society for Radiation Oncology)
• Treatment Option Overview (Vaginal Cancer) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Living With

• Cancer and Stress (Foundation for Women's Cancer)

Related Issues

• 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

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaginal Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)

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

• Article: Primary vaginal endodermal sinus tumor in infants and children: experience from...
• Article: Trends in the Incidence of Vulvar and Vaginal Cancers With Different...
• Article: Prevalance of abnormal vault cytology after hysterectomy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia,...
• Vaginal Cancer -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Normal Female Reproductive Anatomy (National Cancer Institute)

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
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Children

• 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