Vulvar and vaginal cancer treatment options vary based on the type and stage of the cancer. At Houston Methodist, your gynecologic cancer care team will design the best treatment plan for your specific diagnosis and unique lifestyle needs.
Surgery for Vulvar & Vaginal Cancer
For vulvar cancer, surgery is used to resect the tumor and a small amount of healthy cells surrounding it. For larger vulvar cancers, part or all or the vulva may also be removed, which is called a vulvectomy. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be administered before surgery to help shrink the tumor and reduce the amount of tissue removed.
For vaginal cancer, treatment typically includes surgery and radiation. The goal of surgery is to resect the tumor and a small amount of healthy cells surrounding it. In some cases, part or all of the vagina may need to be removed, which is called a vaginectomy. If the cancer is advanced, the uterus and ovaries may also be removed, which is called a hysterectomy. If the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, they will be removed as well. For vaginal cancers that have spread throughout the pelvic area, pelvic exenteration may be required. This may involve removing the bladder, ovaries, uterus, vagina, rectum and the lower colon.
Radiation Therapy for Vulvar & Vaginal Cancer
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells in a specific area.
Radiation therapy may be used prior to vulvar cancer surgery to shrink the cancer, aiding surgical resection of the tumor. It may also be combined with chemotherapy to help make the cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation. After surgery, radiation therapy may also be used to kill cancer cells that may have spread to the surrounding lymph nodes, if this is suspected.
Radiation therapy is often needed to treat vaginal cancer. It's typically administered via external beam radiation, which uses a large machine to direct radiation at your pelvis or other areas where cancerous cells have appeared. For early-stage vaginal cancers, internal radiation therapy, also called brachytherapy, may also be an option. Brachytherapy may also be used after external beam therapy in some cases.
Chemotherapy for Vulvar & Vaginal Cancer
For advanced vulvar and vaginal cancers that have spread, chemotherapy may be used to kill cancer cells that have moved to other areas of the body. It may also be combined with radiation therapy to make this treatment more effective.
Laser Vaporization for Vulvar & Vaginal Pre-Cancers
If caught in the precancerous stage, laser therapy can be used to vaporize the abnormal tissue that makes up a vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) or vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN).