- Abnormal Smear
- Abnormalities of the Uterus
- Abnormalities of the Vagina
- Adenomyosis
- Amenorrhea
- Atrophic Vaginitis
- Bacterial Vaginosis
- Barrier Contraception
- Bartholins Cysts
- Caesarean Section
- Cervical Cancer
- Cervical Screening
- Childbirth
- Chlamydia
- Clitoral Hoodectomy
- Colposcopy
- Colposcopy
- Contraceptive Pill
- Dysmenorrhoea
- Dyspareunia
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometrial Hyperplasia
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Gonorrhoea
- Heavy Periods
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Hymenoplasty
- Hysterectomy
- Incontinence
- Incontinence
- Infertility
- Intrauterine Devices
- Labial Reduction
- Loss Of Libido
- Menorrhagia
- Menstrual Disorders
- Miscarriage
- Natural Family Planning
- Oligomenorrhoea
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cysts
- Pelvic Floor Exercises
- Pelvic Floor Restoration
- Perineoplasty
- Polycystic Ovaries
- Polymenorrhoea
- Post-Coital Bleeding
- Pregnancy Scanning
- Premature Menopause
- Progesterone Contraceptive Pill
- Pruritus Vulva
- Sterilisation
- Syphilis
- The Wart Virus
- Thrush
- Treatment for CIN
- Uterine Cancer
- Uterine Prolapse
- Vaginal Cancer
- Vaginal Cysts
- Vaginal Discharge
- Vaginal Infections
- Vaginal Prolapse
- Vaginal Tightening
- Vulva Cancer
- Vulval Anatomy
- Vulval Dystrophy
- Vulvodynia
- Well Women Checks
Vaginal Cancer
Vaginal cancer is a cancer that is not very common, and when it occurs it is usually secondary cancer. This means that the cancer developed elsewhere in the body, and cancer cells travelled through the blood stream or the lymphatic system to the vagina. The cancer cells then develop in the vagina. The symptoms of the disease depend upon how severe the cancer is. There are some signs that women can look out for in order to catch the problem before it develops and becomes more serious.
Most women will not catch the disease in its earliest stages, if they aren’t already aware of a primary cancer. The tumour does not cause many symptoms when it is small. It may be found when a woman attends a normal smear test with her gynaecologist. The cells may show signs of the cancer, and then it can be dealt with very early. This cancer is dangerous as most women suffering from it will be unaware of its presence until it develops further.
When the cancer is at a more developed stage, the patient may experience pain in her vagina, or an abnormal discharge among other similar symptoms. These symptoms may indicate other problems such as infections or menstrual disorders. Any woman experiencing these symptoms should immediately get checked out to find out whether the problem is vaginal cancer or if it’s something less severe.
There is no definite known cause for vaginal cancer that hasn’t formed as a secondary cancer. Studies have shown that women with higher levels of oestrogen may be more prone to the illness. Many women who have gone through menopause will undergo hormone replacement therapy to alleviate the effects of the menopause. This therapy involves giving the body oestrogen, and therefore it can make a woman more prone to vaginal cancer.
If a patient has been diagnosed with vaginal cancer, there are a number of options available to treat this condition. The treatments depend upon the severity of the condition. Vaginal cancer in its early stages can often be effectively treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. This won’t guarantee that all the cancer cells are destroyed, and it won’t guarantee that the cancer won’t come back. For more severe cases of vaginal cancer, surgery is often the only option for treatment. This can involve removing the vagina, womb, bladder, cervix and part of the bowel. This depends upon the severity of the condition.