Inside Knowledge - Vaginal and Vulvar Cancer Facts

Vaginal and
Vulvar Cancer

Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer

There are five main types of cancer that affect a woman’s reproductive
organs: cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar. As a group, they
are referred to as gynecologic (GY-neh-kuh-LAH-jik) cancer. (A sixth
type of gynecologic cancer is the very rare fallopian tube cancer.)
This fact sheet about vaginal and vulvar cancers is part of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Inside Knowledge: Get
the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer campaign. The campaign helps
women get the facts about gynecologic cancer, providing important
“inside knowledge” about their bodies and health.

What are vaginal and
vulvar cancers?
Cancer is a disease in which cells
in the body grow out of control.
Cancer is always named for the part
of the body where it starts, even if it
spreads to other body parts later.
When cancer starts in the vagina,
it is called vaginal cancer. The
vagina, also called the birth canal,
is the hollow, tube-like channel
between the bottom of the uterus
and the outside of the body.
When cancer forms in the vulva,
it is vulvar cancer. The vulva is

Fallopian Tubes
Ovaries
Uterus

Cervix
Vagina
Vulva

the outer part of the female genital
organs. It has two folds of skin,
called the labia. Vulvar cancer
most often occurs on the inner
edges of the labia.
When vaginal and vulvar cancers are
found early, treatment is most effective.

Many vaginal and vulvar cancers are
caused by the human papillomavirus
(HPV), a common virus that is
passed from one person to another
during sex.

While all women are at risk for these
cancers, few will get them. Vaginal
and vulvar cancers are very rare.
Together, they account for 6-7
percent of all gynecologic cancers
diagnosed in the U.S., with an
estimated 1,000 women diagnosed
with vaginal cancer and 3,500
women with vulvar cancer each year.

There is a vaccine that protects
against the types of HPV that most
often cause cervical, vaginal, and
vulvar cancers. It is given in a
series of three shots. The vaccine
is recommended for 11 and 12 year
old girls. It is also recommended for
girls and women aged 13 through
26 who did not get any or all of the
shots when they were younger.
(Note: The vaccine can be given to
girls beginning at age 9.)

Are there tests that can
find vaginal and vulvar
cancers early?

If you or someone you care about
is in this age range, talk with
a doctor, nurse, or health care
professional about it.

Who gets vaginal and
vulvar cancers?

You should visit your doctor
regularly for a checkup. During your
checkup, your doctor may perform
a pelvic examination to look for
signs of vaginal and vulvar cancer.
The Pap test does not screen
for vaginal and vulvar cancers.
The only cancer the Pap test
screens for is cervical cancer.

www.cdc.gov/cancer/knowledge 1-800-CDC-INFO

CDC_GYN_VagVulv_FS_12_F.indd 1

Can the HPV vaccine prevent
vaginal and vulvar cancers?

Inside Knowledge is an initiative that
supports the Gynecologic Cancer
Education and Awareness Act of 2005, or
Johanna’s Law, which was unanimously
passed by the U.S. House and Senate in
December of 2006, and signed into law
in January 2007.

7/11/12 1:35 PM

What are the signs and
symptoms of vaginal and
vulvar cancers?
Most vaginal cancers do not
cause signs or symptoms early on.
When vaginal cancer does cause
symptoms, they may include:
• V
 aginal discharge or bleeding
that is not normal for you.
The bleeding may be abnormal
because of how heavy it is,
or when it happens, such as
bleeding after you have gone
through menopause; bleeding
between periods; or any other
bleeding that is longer or
heavier than is normal for you.
• A
 change in bathroom habits,
such as having blood in the
stool or urine; going to the
bathroom more often than
usual; or feeling constipated.
• P
 ain in your pelvis or abdomen,
especially when you pass urine
or have sex.
Vulvar cancers often cause signs
or symptoms including one or
more of the following:
• Itching, burning, or bleeding on
the vulva that does not go away.
• C
 olor changes on the skin of
the vulva, where it is redder or
whiter than normal for you.
• S
 kin changes on the vulva,
including what looks like a rash
or warts.
• S
 ores, lumps, or ulcers on the
vulva that do not go away.
• P
 ain in your pelvis, especially
when you urinate or have sex.
Pay attention to your body, and
know what is normal for you. If
you have vaginal bleeding that is
not normal for you, see a doctor
right away. If you have any of the
other signs that may be associated
with vaginal or vulvar cancer, and
they last for two weeks or longer,
see a doctor. These symptoms
may be caused by something other
than cancer, but the only way to
know is to see your doctor.

CDC_GYN_VagVulv_FS_12_F.indd 2

What raises a woman’s
chance of getting vaginal
or vulvar cancer?

What should I do if my
doctor says I have vaginal
or vulvar cancer?

There is no way to know for
sure if you will get vaginal or
vulvar cancer. Some women
get these cancers without being
at high risk. However, the
following factors may increase
a woman’s risk for vaginal or
vulvar cancer:

If your doctor says that you have
vaginal or vulvar cancer, ask
to be referred to a gynecologic
oncologist—a doctor who has been
trained to treat cancers like these.
This doctor will work with you to
create a treatment plan.

• Having HPV.
• 
Having had cervical
precancer or cervical cancer.
• H
 aving a condition (such as
HIV, the virus that can lead to
AIDS) that makes it hard for
your body to fight off health
problems.
• 
Smoking.
• H
 aving chronic vulvar itching
or burning.
If one or more of these things
is true for you, it does not
mean you will get vaginal or
vulvar cancer. But you should
speak with your doctor to see
if he or she recommends more
frequent exams.

How can I prevent vaginal
and vulvar cancers?
• G
 et the HPV vaccine. It
protects against the types
of HPV that most often
cause cervical, vaginal, and
vulvar cancers. If you are
between the ages of 9 and
26, talk to your doctor about
the HPV vaccine.

Where can I find more
information about vaginal,
vulvar, and other gynecologic
cancers?

• T
 ake steps to reduce your risk
of getting HPV or HIV, such as
avoiding sex or limiting your
number of sexual partners.

National Cancer Institute:
1-800-4-CANCER or www.cancer.gov

• Don’t smoke.

Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention: 1-800-CDC-INFO or
www.cdc.gov/cancer

CDC Publication #99-9126, July 2012

U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention

Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer

7/11/12 1:35 PM