Vulvar Cancer Quiz
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Redness of the skin
Have irregular vaginal bleeding
Vaginal itching
Skin has moles or spots of different colors
Red spots on skin
Bleeding between periods
Black, blue, or brown spots on the skin or elsewhere
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Vulvar Cancer?
Vulvar cancer (occasionally called vulval) is a cancer of the "vulva" -- the outer part of the female genitals. Risk factors include older age, HPV infection, and smoking. The first symptom is usually a non-healing sore on the vulva.
Typical Symptoms of Vulvar Cancer
- Pain or discomfort in the genital area
- Ulcers in the genital area
- Bumps or swellings around the vulva/vagina
- Vaginal bleeding or discolored discharge outside of your period
- Swollen lymph nodes or lumps in the neck, armpits, groin, or behind the ears
- Black/blue/brown spots or moles, on the skin and lining of the mouth
- Itchiness around the vagina
- Swollen lymph nodes, usually small swellings in the groin
Diagnostic Questions for Vulvar Cancer
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Are you experiencing pain or discomfort in your genital area?
- Do you have any ulcers in your genital area?
- Do you have any lumps or boils in your genital area?
- Have you experienced any vaginal bleeding or unusual discharge outside of your period?
- Do you have any swollen lymph nodes or lumps in your neck, armpits, groin, or behind your ears?
Treatment of Vulvar Cancer
A gynecologist or gynecologist-oncologist will confirm the diagnosis with a biopsy and will order scans to see if the cancer has spread. A treatment plan will be made based on factors like the extent of the disease and patient's overall condition. The main treatment options are surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy or a combination of these therapies.
Reviewed By:
Robin Schoenthaler, MD (Oncology)
Board certified radiation oncologist with over 30 years experience treating cancer patients. Senior physician advisor for expert medical options in adult oncology. Published award-winning essayist on medical and health issues and more.
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN))
Dr. Kanazawa graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Medicine and received his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. He is working on the front line of the General Perinatal Center, including the Tokyo Tama General Medical Center and the National Center for Research in Fertility Medicine, where he provides maternal and fetal care and undertakes clinical research. At Ubie, Dr. Kanazawa has been designing the Ubie AI Symptom Checker and has taken on the role of general obstetrics and gynecology consultation at FMC Tokyo Clinic by providing fetal ultrasound and prenatal consultation.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Vulvar Cancer?
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With a free 3-min Vulvar Cancer quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Pain around the vulva or vagina
- Genital ulcers (private parts)
- Pain in the genital area
- Bumps or swellings around the vulva
- Vaginal pain
- There is a sore in the crotch
- Pain during intercourse
- Lymph swollen
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Lumps, boils or abscesses in the genital area
- Ulcers over the genitals
- Burning vagina
- Itching vagina
- Bloody vaginal discharge
- Vaginal soreness
See full list
Symptoms Related to Vulvar Cancer
Diseases Related to Vulvar Cancer
FAQs
Q.
Is it Vulvar Cancer? Why Your Skin is Changing & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
There are several factors to consider. Most vulvar skin changes are not cancer, but persistent itching, non-healing sores, new lumps, color or texture changes, or bleeding should be checked since early detection greatly improves outcomes. See below for the complete guidance on common noncancer causes, risk factors, red flags, and medically approved next steps, including which symptoms to track, what to avoid, and when to see a clinician for an exam and possible biopsy.
References:
* Woelber L, Gockel A, Woelber D, et al. Vulvar cancer: an updated review on risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Apr 1;15(7):2059. doi: 10.3390/cancers15072059. PMID: 37048126.
* Kirtschig G, Günthert A, Müller-Richter U, et al. Lichen Sclerosus: Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2022 Nov;20(11):1538-1557. doi: 10.1111/ddg.15783. PMID: 36325492.
* Noé M, Piek JM. Diagnosis and Management of Vulvar Cancer. Semin Oncol. 2021 Feb;48(1):37-47. doi: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2021.01.003. PMID: 33731215.
* Bakkum-Gamez JN, Weaver AL. Update on the FIGO staging system for vulvar cancer. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Dec;32(6):449-454. doi: 10.1097/GCO.0000000000000673. PMID: 33264147.
* Van der Avoort IAM, Kroep JR, van Lent M, et al. International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD) Classification of Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia (VIN). J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2017 Jul;21(3):186-189. doi: 10.1097/LGT.0000000000000302. PMID: 28604598.
Q.
Persistent Pain? Why Your Clitoris Is Hurting & Medical Next Steps
A.
Persistent clitoral pain can stem from irritation, infections such as yeast or STIs, clitoral adhesions, nerve or hormonal changes, skin conditions, or injury, with cancer being rare but important to rule out. There are several factors to consider, so begin gentle care like fragrance free products and reducing friction, and seek medical evaluation if pain lasts more than a few days, is severe, or comes with sores, lumps, swelling, fever, or bleeding; key next steps and warning signs are outlined below.
References:
* Goldstein, A. T., & Pukall, C. F. (2021). Clitorodynia: A Review of the Literature. *Sexual Medicine Reviews*, *9*(4), 577–586.
* Pukall, C. F., & Goldstein, A. T. (2017). Clitorodynia in Women With and Without Vestibulodynia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study. *Journal of Sexual Medicine*, *14*(7), 896–903.
* Faller, E., Delacroix, S., & Pilon, C. (2018). Genital Neuropathic Pain: Review of a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge. *Current Pain and Headache Reports*, *22*(8), 56.
* Hagey, L. A., & Pukall, C. F. (2019). Diagnosis and Treatment of Vulvodynia: An Update. *Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology*, *62*(1), 126–141.
* Kaur, S., Gandhi, J., & Patel, V. M. (2022). Pudendal Neuralgia: A Narrative Review of Clinical Features, Diagnosis, and Management. *Cureus*, *14*(11), e31669.
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Which is the best Symptom Checker?
Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Morrison J, Baldwin P, Buckley L, Cogswell L, Edey K, Faruqi A, Ganesan R, Hall M, Hillaby K, Reed N, Rolland P, Fotopoulou C. British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS) vulval cancer guidelines: Recommendations for practice. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2020 Sep;252:502-525. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.05.054. Epub 2020 Jun 8. PMID: 32620514.
https://www.ejog.org/article/S0301-2115(20)30338-9/fulltextMaclean AB. Vulval cancer: prevention and screening. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2006 Apr;20(2):379-95. doi: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2005.11.001. PMID: 16543120.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521693405001537?via%3DihubSohaib SA, Moskovic EC. Imaging in vulval cancer. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2003 Aug;17(4):543-56. doi: 10.1016/s1521-6934(03)00040-3. PMID: 12965131.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521693403000403?via%3Dihub