What is Vaginal Cancer?
Vaginal cancer occurs when normal cells change and develop in an abnormal way or form a malignant tumour. When cancer cells develop within the vagina itself, it is known as Primary Vaginal Cancer. If it spreads from another part of the body for example, from the neck (cervix) or lining of the womb, it is known as Secondary Vaginal Cancer.
There are two forms of vaginal cancer:
Squamous cell cancer, which is the most common form of vaginal cancer and arises mostly in the area of the vagina closest to the cervix. Squamous cell cancer is more common in women between 60-80 years of age and is often caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
The other type of vaginal cancer is adenocarcinoma, which affects the glandular cells in the vagina and is more often found in younger women (30 years old or under). Adenocarcinoma has been linked with exposure to diethylstilboestrol (DES) a drug given to women between 1945 and the early 1970s at risk of miscarriage.
Other rare forms of vaginal cancer include:
- Small cell vaginal cancer
- Sarcoma of the vagina
- Melanoma of the vagina
The precise cause of vaginal cancer is not known but there are certain risk factors that can increase your chances of developing it:
- Age: usually women over 60.
- If you have never had children or been pregnant
- Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
- Radiotherapy on the pelvis: radiotherapy in the pelvic area raises the risk slightly but it is still very rare.
- DES: A hormone drug called diethylstilboestrol (DES) causes one type of adenocarcinoma of the vagina and is linked to multi-generational cancers.
Treatments available at Clatterbridge Private Clinic
Radiotherapy
You may be given radiotherapy to reduce the risk of cancer coming back.
Radiotherapy uses high-energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells. Normal cells can also be damaged by radiotherapy, which may cause side effects. But careful planning and newer ways of giving radiotherapy have reduced the risk of damage to healthy tissue and nearby organs. Cancer cells cannot repair themselves after radiotherapy, but normal cells usually can.
Chemotherapy
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Immunotherapy
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Surgery
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- Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy
You may be given radiotherapy to reduce the risk of cancer coming back.
Radiotherapy uses high-energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells. Normal cells can also be damaged by radiotherapy, which may cause side effects. But careful planning and newer ways of giving radiotherapy have reduced the risk of damage to healthy tissue and nearby organs. Cancer cells cannot repair themselves after radiotherapy, but normal cells usually can.
- Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
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- Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy
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- Surgery
Surgery
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