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Vulval
What is Vulval Cancer?
The vulval is the area of skin between a woman’s legs that makes up the visible sex organs. This includes the folds of skin that are covered by pubic hair, the two inner lips (labia) and the small organ that enables a woman to reach a climax during intercourse called the clitoris. Vulval cancer usually occurs in women aged 55 to 75 and may affect any part of the vulva.
What are the symptoms?
Cancer of the vulva is usually slow growing and may take years to develop. The common symptoms include soreness and itching of the vulva, bleeding or pain and the presence of a lump or ulcer in the vulval area. Research is ongoing to find the cause of this cancer, which is unknown, but there are factors that increase the risk. These include cigarette smoking and a wart virus called HPV (Human Papilloma Virus).
Cancer is not infectious and cannot be caught by other people.
Treatments - General
Your treatment will be individually planned and discussed with you by your Consultant and Specialist Nurse. Prior to treatment you may need some further investigations which might include a chest x-ray, blood tests and an MRI scan. Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the tumour and the surrounding tissue. The lymph glands in the groin will also be removed if the cancer is larger than one millimetre. This is called a vulvectomy and the surgeon and specialist nurse will discuss the extent of the surgery with you. Your partner or a close family member or friend are welcome to attend consultations and may like to make notes on your behalf.
A Doctor will look at the tumour cells that have been removed (histology) and may recommend further treatment with radiotherapy. If this is necessary a clinical oncologist will be introduced to you, to discuss radiotherapy treatment.
Dependant on your age, general fitness and how advanced the cancer is some patients may be advised to have a course of radiotherapy to avoid major extensive surgery.