Vaginal cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the vagina. A woman’s pussy—or more properly, a woman’s birth canal, or vagina—is a pipe extending from the cervix of the uterus to the vulva. There are many ways that cancer can also involve the vagina secondary to somewhere else, but cancer originally arising in the vagina is rather less frequent. Researchers informed that there are around 3,000 newly reported cases in the United States annually.

Vaginal Cancer Symptoms

The signs of vaginal cancer are not the same for every woman.

Abnormal: • vaginal bleeding, particularly post coital.

• A lump or swelling located in the female reproductive organ

• Inability to have or to maintain an erection

Please don’t think that if you have these symptoms, you have cancer. They are often due to some conditions like infections. But for any of these symptoms to appear, you should visit a doctor.

Vaginal Cancer Types

There are a few main types of vaginal cancer:

Squamous cell carcinoma. This is by far more common. It occurs when cancer develops on the flat, thin cells that line your vagina – known scientifically as squamous epithelial cells. This type grows slowly and is likely to remain confined to the organ or part of the body it affects, but it can extend to other parts of the body such as your liver, lungs or bones. This form is recurrent in older women than in men or younger women. Almost half of newly diagnosed patients are women who are 60 years old and above.

Adenocarcinoma. This type begins in glandular cells in the lining of your vagina known to secrete mucus and other fluids. It’s more likely to spread to other parts of your body, like your lungs or to little organs in the groin of your body that are called lymph nodes, which help clear things out of your body.

Clear cell carcinoma. This is an even rarer type of adenocarcinoma. It can develop in women whose mothers took a hormone known as diethylstilbestrol or DES, during the first trimester of pregnancy. From 1938 to 1971, this medicine was used in most cases by doctors in order to prevent miscarriage and other issues. More uncommon, vaginal cancer originates from connective tissue or muscle cells, known as sarcoma or from cells that produce pigments, melanoma.

Vaginal Cancer Stages

Once your doctor tells you that you have vaginal cancer, further imaging test and other exams are carried to determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. This assists them set the stage the Cancer and how it ought to be dealt with.

The stages are:

• Stage I: You have cancer only in the vaginal wall.

• Stage II: In this form it has reached the connective tissue of the vagina.

• Stage III: Cancer is in the wall of the pelvis.

• Stage IV: The cancer has penetrated the lining of your bladder, your rectum or another area of your pelvis.

• Stage IV: It has gone to other parts of your body such as your lungs or bones.

Vaginal Cancer Treatment

Treatment plan will depend on many factors such as the location of cancer to other organs, its stage, if you have had radiation therapy in the pelvic region, or if your uterus has been removed. Your doctor will probably recommend one or more of these treatments:

Surgery. This is by far the most popular method of treatment. Lasers may be employed in cutting out any get or tissue by your doctor. Sometimes, they might have to take out your whole or part of your vagina. You may require an organ such as your cervix or other organs to be removed through a hysterectomy. Most women can get social sexual intercourse after surgery. However, you should know that sex may increase your risk of getting infected and it may lead to bleeding or put pressure on the surgery area. Your doctor will let you know what you are able to do and when it is safe to do it.

Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy involves employing gamma rays or some other type of radiation to eliminate cancers. Your doctor may use a machine that directs X-rays into the body, or your doctor may put a radioactive substance in your body, on or near the cancer. Radiation treatments in your pelvic area are dangerous for your ovaries. Especially they can stop producing estrogen which will trigger menopausal symptoms such as sweating and dryness of the vulva. If this has occurred to you then you will most likely not experience these issues. This type of therapy also has the effect of irritating healthy tissue. Your vagina may become inflamed and sore. Sex may be painful.

Chemotherapy (“chemo”). This employs drug to either destroy or prevent multiplication of cancer cells. It could be swallowed whole with water, or administer through intravenous dose, IV. Sometimes your doctor may prescribe a chemo in lotion or cream form. You can become impotent or have other complications such as vomiting, hair loss, and changes in weights. These will be either aggravated or eliminated by treatment.

So, before making any decision by yourself, consult a professional now!