Vulvar cancer
For patient information click here
| Vulvar cancer | |
| ICD-10 | C51..9 |
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| ICD-9 | 184.4 |
| DiseasesDB | 14013 |
| MedlinePlus | 000902 |
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Vulvar cancer Microchapters |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Vulvar cancer On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Vulvar cancer |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Historical Perspective
Pathophysiology
Epidemiology & Demographics
Risk Factors
Screening
Causes
Differentiating Vulvar cancer
Complications & Prognosis
Diagnosis
History and Symptoms | Physical Examination | Staging | Laboratory tests | Electrocardiogram | X Rays | CT | MRI Echocardiography or Ultrasound | Other images | Alternative diagnostics
Treatment
Medical therapy | Surgical options | Primary prevention | Secondary prevention | Financial costs | Future therapies
Treatment
Surgery is a mainstay of therapy and usually accomplished by use of a radical vulvectomy, removal of vulvar tissue as well as the removal of lymph nodes from the inguinal and femoral areas. Complications of such surgery include wound infection, sexual dysfunction, edema and thrombosis.
Surgery is significantly more extensive when vulvar cancer has spread to adjacent organs such as urethra, vagina, and rectum. In cases of early vulvar carcinoma the surgery may be less radical and disfiguring and consist of wide excision or a simple vulvectomy.
Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are usually not a primary choice of therapy but may be used in selected cases of advanced vulvar cancer.
Prognosis
The prognosis of vulvar cancer shows overall about a 75% five year survival rate, but, of course, individually affected by many factors, notably stage and type of the lesion and age and general medical health. Five-year survival is down to about 20% when pelvic lymph nodes are involved but better than 90% for patients with stage I lesions. Thus early diagnosis is imperative.
Help and Support
There is a support group for women who have/had vulva cancer/other vulva problems called VACO (Vulva Awareness Campaign Organisation). The website address for this is vaco.co.uk. It's just as easy as checking breasts. Women must check their vulva and to report any problems to their doctor as soon as possible.