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- Diagnosis & Treatment
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- Vulvar Cancer
- Vulvar Cancer Diagnosis
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View Clinical TrialsVulvar Cancer Diagnosis
Early and accurate diagnosis of vulvar cancer is important. It also is crucial to find out if and where the cancer has spread. This helps your doctors choose the best therapies for you.
At MD Anderson, specialized experts use the most modern and accurate equipment to diagnose vulvar cancer. With pinpoint attention to detail, our pathologists, diagnostic radiologists and specially trained technicians find the exact extent of disease. This helps increase the likelihood your treatment will be successful.
Vulvar cancer diagnostic tests
If you have symptoms that may signal vulvar cancer, your doctor will examine you and ask you questions about your health, your lifestyle and your family medical history. Then, your doctor will do a pelvic exam and pap smear.
Biopsy
A biopsy is the only way to definitively diagnose vulval cancer. During a biopsy, a small tissue sample is removed and examined under a microscope for cancer cells. Your doctor may use a special instrument called a colposcope to magnify the area and make it easier to remove the tissue. The tissue will be removed by:
- Excisional biopsy: A small knife is used
- Punch biopsy: A tiny punch tool is used
Other tests may help find out if you have vulvar cancer and if it has spread. These tests also may be used to learn if treatment is working.
Imaging exams
Imaging exams are used to look for cancer inside the body. They can help locate tumors and track how the body is responding to treatment. There are many types of imaging exams. The ones used for vulvar cancer include:
- CT or CAT (computed axial tomography) scans
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans
- PET (positron emission tomography) scans
- Chest X-ray
- Lymphoscintigraphy
Getting a second opinion at MD Anderson
The entire care team at MD Anderson, including gynecologic oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists and pathologists, is highly specialized in diagnosing and staging every type of vulvar cancer. We welcome the opportunity to provide second opinions for vulvar cancers. Learn more about second opinions.
Vulvar Cancer Staging
If you are diagnosed with vulvar cancer, your doctor will determine the stage of the disease.
Staging is a way of classifying cancer by how much disease is in the body and where it has spread when it is diagnosed. This helps the doctor plan the best way to treat the cancer.
Once the staging classification is determined, it stays the same even if treatment works or the cancer spreads.
Vulvar Cancer Stages
(source: National Cancer Institute)
Stage I: The tumor is confined to the vulva.
IA: The lesion is 2 centimeters or smaller and:
- Is confined to the vulva or perineum (the area between the anus and vagina).
- Has spread into the stroma 1 millimeter or less.
- Has not spread into the surrounding lymph nodes.
IB: The lesion is more than more than 2 centimeters in size and:
- Has spread 1 millimeter into the stroma.
- Is confined to the vulva or perineum.
- Has not spread into surrounding lymph nodes.
Stage II: The tumor is any size and has spread to adjacent perineal structures (lower 1/2 of anus, lower 1/3 of urethra, lower 1/3 vagina) but not to surrounding lymph nodes.
Stage III: The tumor is any size and may or may not have spread to adjacent perineal structures. Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
- IIIA Tumor of any size with disease extension to upper two-thirds of the urethra, upper two-thirds of the vagina, bladder mucosa, rectal mucosa, or regional lymph node metastases ≤5 mm.
- IIIB Regional lymph node metastases >5 mm.
- IIIC Regional lymph node metastases with extracapsular spread.
Stage IV: Tumor of any size fixed to bone or distant structures.
- IVA Disease fixed to pelvic bone, or fixed, or ulcerated regional lymph node metastases.
- IVB Distant metastases.
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