Library · Neoplasm
Vulvar cancer
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Vulvar cancer is an uncommon cancer that starts in the vulva. The vulva is the outer part of a woman's genitals: the part on the outside of the body, not the parts inside.
This cancer doesn't show up overnight. It usually develops slowly, over several years. First, precancerous cells start growing in the skin of the vulva. These are cells that are no longer normal but aren't cancer yet. This stage is called vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, or VIN, and it's also known as dysplasia. Neoplasia means a new growth of cells, and intraepithelial means the growth stays within the epithelium, the surface layer of the skin. Think of a dark cloud in the sky: it tells you something is changing, but not every dark cloud ends in rain. In the same way, not all VIN turns into cancer.
In the beginning, it often causes no symptoms, meaning nothing the person would notice. And some things make it more likely to develop: having had an infection with human papillomavirus, which is what the letters HPV stand for, or having a history of genital warts, which are warts in the genital area.
In brief
Vulvar cancer is a rare type of cancer that forms in a woman's external genitals, known as the vulva.
It usually develops slowly over several years. First, precancerous cells grow on the skin of the vulva, a condition called vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), or dysplasia. Not all VIN turns into cancer.
Early on, it often causes no symptoms. The risk is higher in people who have had a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection or have a history of genital warts.
Sources (1)
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (summary from the National Cancer Institute)Vulvar Cancer, MedlinePlusPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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