Vulvar Cancer: Symptoms & Treatment

Almost all women with invasive vulvar cancers will have symptoms. These can include:

• An area on the vulva that looks different from normal – it could be lighter or darker than the normal skin around it, or look red or pink.
• A bump or lump, which could be red, pink, or white and could have a wart-like or raw surface or feel rough or thick.
• Thickening of the skin of the vulva
• Itching
• Pain or burning
• Bleeding or discharge not related to the normal menstrual period
• An open sore (especially if it lasts for a month or more)

Verrucous carcinoma, a subtype of invasive squamous cell vulvar cancer, looks like cauliflower-like growths similar to genital warts.

These symptoms are more often caused by other, non-cancerous conditions. Still, if you have these symptoms, you should have them checked by a doctor or nurse.

Patients with vulvar melanoma can have many of the same symptoms as other vulvar cancers, such as:

• A lump
• Itching
• Pain
• Bleeding or discharge

Most vulvar melanomas are black or dark brown, but they can be white, pink, red, or other colors. They can be found throughout the vulva, but most are in the area around the clitoris or on the labia majora or minora.

Vulvar melanomas can sometimes start in a mole, so a change in a mole that has been present for

The most important sign of melanoma is a change in size, shape, or color of a moleb .If you have a mole that has changed, ask your doctor to check it out.

A distinct mass (lump) on either side of the opening to the vagina can be the sign of a Bartholin gland carcinoma. More often, however, a lump in this area is from a Bartholin gland cyst, which is much more common (and is not a cancer).

Soreness and a red, scaly area are symptoms of Paget disease of the vulva.

Vaccines have been developed to stop people from becoming infected with the HPV virus. The vaccine given to prevent cervical cancer protects from vulvar cancers.

Post treatment you will be followed up closely for the first couple of years. Lymphedema can be a problem post groin node surgery for Vulvar cancer. You will be followed up and supported by lymphoedema team. Rehabilitation session may help you to return back to normal life faster. Please inform your doctors if you notice any skin changes, ulcers, pain or swelling in your groin.

Feeling anxious and depressed are normal after Vulvar cancer treatment. Some are affected more than others. But everyone can benefit from help and support from friends, family, religious groups, support groups and professional counsellors.

Apollo team offers you comprehensive care with compassion, clinical excellence and with multi-disciplinary team (MDT). We have nationally and internationally recognized doctors treating you, and are up to date with current evidence and research.

We discuss every patient in the tumour board to decide what treatment options are available and tailor it as appropriately on an individual basis.

We offer full range of treatment options under one roof in all aspects of cancer care such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. We have state of the art radiotherapy equipment along with proton therapy to minimize complications associated with radiation. For early Vulvar cancer we offer sentinel node (first drainage nodes) removal by injecting a radio nucleotide dye to prevent morbidity associated with complete removal of groin nodes.

We can assure you that we support you in all aspects during and after your treatment and give you the best possible care available in the world.