Cancer in the vagina is rare but is closely linked to infection with the HPV virus and about 70% of women with this type of cancer have the virus.
HPV covers about 150 types of viruses, but not all of them cause cancer, with types 6, 11, 18 and 31 considered to be cancerous, which can cause cervical cancer, vulva cancer and vagina cancer. The presence of the virus in the tissues of the reproductive system damages the vaginal walls leading to the formation of ulcers that can bleed and become infected.
Usually those who can detect the presence of HPV early, through the pap smear and follow the treatment until the end, is cured and does not get to develop any cancer in this region, however, if the woman does not detect and treat HPV the lesions can evolve and become cancer, with less chance of cure.
Learn all about HPV.
How to identify HPV or vaginal cancer
Lesions can be discovered through exams such as:
- pap smear that consists of scraping the cervix with a kind of cotton swab, which must be analyzed in the laboratory, a hybrid capture that consists of taking small samples from the walls of the vagina and the cervix, to analyze the presence of HPV or colposcopy that consists to perform a biopsy of the cervical tissue that has a lesion seen through the colposcope.
The main sign of HPV is the presence of small warts in the form of a crest or plaque in the affected region, but as it is not possible to easily observe the entire region of the vagina, tests are essential for diagnosis. When there has already been cell differentiation there may be symptoms such as:
- Smelly discharge; Pain during intimate contact; Pain / burning when urinating.
These symptoms can be confused with several other diseases and, therefore, tests should be performed to confirm the diagnosis that can be made with tests such as pap smears, biopsies and colposcopy.
If vagina cancer is diagnosed, treatment should be started which can be done through radiotherapy or surgery to remove the tissues compromised by the disease. Find out more details on how Vaginal Cancer Treatment can be done.
