Vulvar cancer affects about 3,300 American women annually. Vulvar cancer, like cervical cancer, is also associated with the human papilloma virus. A correlation with smoking has also been established, but whether this "causes" vulvar cancer, or simply improves the conditions for getting or growing vulvar cancer, remains unclear. Vulvar cancer rates in the United States have been in increasing in recent decades. Further vulvar dysplasias (pre-cancers), which may precede the diagnosis of cancer by a decade or more, have quadrupled since the mid-1970s, indicating a potential for further rise in the incidence of this disease coming years.

 On this page:

• Who is at Risk?
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Who is at Risk?

High risk groups include:

• Women older than 65 years of age 
• Lower socioeconomic status 
• Multiple sexual partners 
• Smokers 
• People with compromised immune systems 

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Symptoms

The most common symptoms of vulvar cancer can include:

• Chronic vulvar or vaginal itching and/or bleeding 
• Growing lesion 
• Pain, burning, discharge 
• Unusual pigmentation 
• Non-healing ulcer 

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Treatment

Vulvar cancer treatment depends on the location and the size of the cancer. The most common treatment is surgical removal. When necessary, radiation and/or chemotherapy may be used after or instead or surgery.

See the Gynecologic Cancer home page for more information about treatment through the University of Minnesota Women's Cancer Center, clinical trials, gynecologic cancer research, and gynecologic cancer care team members.

More information about vulvar cancer is also available on the National Cancer Institute Web site.

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