Vulvar cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the vulva (the skin surrounding the female genitalia) including the skin that surrounds the urethra and vagina. This cancer usually forms a lump or a sore on the vulva that causes itching.
- Vulvar cancer is classified based on the type of cell from which, the cancer originates. The most commonly occurring types of vulvar cancer include:
- Vulvar squamous cell carcinoma which begins in the thin, flat cells lining the surface of the vulva.
- Vulvar melanoma which begins in the melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) that are found in the skin of the vulva.
