- Surgery
- Radiation
- Medical Oncology
- Types of surgery that may be used to treat vaginal cancer include:
- Removal of small tumours or lesions – Cancer limited to the surface of the vagina may be removed, along with a small margin of surrounding healthy tissue to ensure that all of the cancer cells have been removed.
- Vaginectomy – Removal of the vagina. Removing part of the vagina (partial Vaginectomy) or the entire vagina (radical Vaginectomy) may be necessary to remove all of cancer. Depending on the extent of cancer, the surgeon may recommend surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries (hysterectomy) and nearby lymph nodes (lymphadenectomy) simultaneously.
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Pelvic exenteration is the removal of the majority of the pelvic organs –
This extensive surgery may be an option if cancer has spread throughout the pelvis or in case of a recurrence of Vaginal Cancer.
During pelvic exenteration, the surgeon may remove many of the organs in the pelvis, including the bladder, ovaries, uterus, vagina, rectum and the lower portion of the colon.
