After listening to a friends of mine mother’s ongoing medical issues,my friend suggested raising awareness. This cancer is often missed by ob/gyns because it mimics more benign issues so diagnosis is often much later leading to poorer outcomes. This cancer is vulvar cancer and is on the rise in women. Sometimes awareness is key and if you are a woman or have a woman in your life, then learning about the possibility of vulvar cancer is important because most are not even aware this can happen.
The vulva basically includes most of the external genitalia in the female and includes the pubic mound, the inner and outer labia, the urethra and surrounding tissues and the opening of the vagina.
Vulvar cancer is often misdiagnosed as lichen sclerosis, eczema or even yeast infections. Learning the signs and symptoms is important especially as we age since the risk increases. READ ON….
Vulvar cancer is most common in the 65-75 year old category but can occur at any age. It is still considered a rarer form of cancer representing only 6-8% of gynecological cancers but the incidence is starting to increase predominantly due to the rise of HPV infections.
Here are some key risk factors:
- HPV
- Smoking (risk is even higher if combined with HPV)
- Cervical cancer
- Genital warts
- Lichen sclerosis
- Trauma to vulva
- Compromised immune system
- Possible genetic predisposition with mutations to the p53 suppressor gene
Symptoms vary and often get worse over time. Here are some of the common symptoms:
- Persistent itchiness anywhere on the vulva
- Pain in the vulvar area
- Bleeding in the vulva tissues
- Persistent vaginal discharge with odor
- Skin discoloration of the vulva: white, increased redness
- Sores that are persistent on the vulva
- Mass, lump or wart like growths on the vulva
- Change in texture of the vulvar skin: it may feel thickened, rough and leathery
Often a women will be diagnosed with lichen sclerosis which is not vulvar cancer but is a risk factor so must be followed closely. The distinction between the two is important:
- Lichen sclerosis: white patches in the vulvar area with thinned skin
- Squamous hyperplasia which is the precursor to vulvar cancer. This is associated with itchy, reddish skin often with raised white areas.
Symptoms can be very mild so if you have any symptom that persists beyond a few months you need to insist on a biopsy.
Treatment is typically surgery so the sooner it is diagnosed and the smaller it is the better the prognosis. When caught early there is a really high chance of cure.
If you have any changes in the vulvar area that are persistent it is worth the visit to your ob/gyn.
To your health,
Laura
