Vulvar Cancer

The vulva includes the following main parts:

Two skin folds around the opening of the vagina:

• Outer lips (labia majora), which are larger and have hair
• Inner lips (labia minora), which are small and do not have hair

Clitoris, which helps a woman feel sexual stimulation.

Bartholin glands, which help lubricate the vagina during sex. One is on each side of the opening of the vagina.

Cancers can form in any of these sites and tumors may extend beyond a single site.

The main types of vulvar cancer are:

• Squamous cell carcinoma, which originates from the cells that line the vulva. One subtype of squamous cell carcinoma is verrucous vulvar cancer, which can be a wart-like growth. Squamous cell carcinoma is the main type of vulvar cancer.
• Adenocarcinoma, which usually starts in the Bartholin glands or sweat glands in the vulva. These make up about 8% of vulvar cancers. Some patients can have diseases like Paget's disease of the vulva that can increase their risk of developing adenocarcinoma.
• Melanoma, a skin cancer that starts in cells that make pigment.
• Sarcomas, which may be found in children as well as adults. These rare types of vulvar cancer start in the soft tissue.

Vulvar cancer statistics

Vulvar cancer is rare. According to the American Cancer Society, about 6,500 women in the United States are diagnosed with it each year. Vulvar cancer usually grows slowly and may begin as precancerous changes that can be treated before they become cancer. The median age of diagnosis for vulvar cancer is 69, and the disease's five-year survival rate is about 71%.

Vulvar cancer causes & risk factors

Anything that increases your chance of getting vulvar cancer is a risk factor. These include:

• Age: More than half of women who develop vulvar cancer are over 70 years old.
• Human papilloma virus (HPV): About half of vulvar cancers are caused by HPV. HPV infections are very common and rarely lead to cancer. In cases of vulvar cancer caused by HPV, the HPV virus integrates into cells and causes changes that can lead to cancer development. The virus is no longer infectious.  Learn more about HPV and cancer.
• Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), a precancerous condition usually caused by HPV
• Smoking tobacco
• HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
• Cervical cancer: Women who have had cervical cancer have a higher risk of developing vulvar cancer.
• Melanoma or atypical moles on other parts of the body: These conditions increase the chance of developing vulvar cancer.
• Family history of melanoma
• Vulvar skin conditions such as Lichen sclerosis and Lichen planus

Not everyone with risk factors gets vulvar cancer. However, if you have risk factors, it’s a good idea to discuss them with your health care provider.

Learn more about vulvar cancer:

• Vulvar cancer symptoms
• Vulvar cancer diagnosis
• Vulvar cancer treatment

Why come to MD Anderson  for vulvar cancer care?

A team of some of the nation's top experts gives you its full attention when you are treated for vulvar cancer in MD Anderson's Gynecologic Oncology Center. They concentrate on customizing your care to include the most advanced treatments while minimizing negative side effects.

Our physicians target vulvar cancer with the latest technology and treatments while focusing on quality of life. To personalize care and optimize outcomes, each team includes doctors from many specialties, including radiation oncology, radiology, pathology, and plastic and reconstructive surgery. They are joined by a support staff specially trained in caring for women.

As one of the nation's top cancer centers, we care for more women with vulvar cancer each year than many oncologists see in a lifetime. This gives us an extraordinary level of expertise, which may help you have a higher chance of successful treatment. At MD Anderson, you are surrounded by the strength of the nation's largest and most experienced comprehensive cancer centers, which have all the support and wellness services needed to treat the whole person – not just the disease.

Surgical skill

Experience is especially important if you need surgery for vulvar cancer, which often is complex and delicate. MD Anderson surgeons, among the nation's best, are highly skilled in the least invasive procedures, which are good options for some women.

If you are a candidate for reconstructive surgery after treatment for vulvar cancer, our plastic surgeons use the most advanced techniques available. They are specialized and experienced – which can greatly impact surgical success.

Innovative vulvar cancer research

MD Anderson has led the development of many of the current therapies and diagnostic methods for vulvar cancer, including less-invasive surgery, sentinel node biopsy and surgical reconstruction. And we continue to investigate newer, more advanced treatments for vulvar cancer. We are one of the top research sites in the country, which means we offer several clinical trials for vulvar cancer.