Vulvar cancer

[Britney]

Vulvar cancer, usually a skin cancer, develops in the area around the opening of the vagina.

The cancer may appear to be a lump, an itchy area, or a sore that does not heal.
A sample of the abnormal tissue is removed and examined (biopsied).
All or part of the vulva and any other affected areas are removed surgically.
Reconstructive surgery can help improve appearance and function.

(See also Overview of Female Reproductive System Cancers.)
In the United States, cancer of the vulva (vulvar carcinoma) is the fourth most common gynecologic cancer, accounting for 5% of these cancers. Vulvar cancer usually occurs after menopause. The average age at diagnosis is 70 years. As more women live longer, this cancer is likely to become more common. Recent evidence suggests that vulvar cancer is becoming more common among younger women.
The vulva refers to the area around the opening of the vagina. It contains the external female reproductive organs.
Most vulvar cancers are skin cancers that develop near or at the opening of the vagina. About 90% of vulvar cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, which develop in the flat cells that form the outermost layer of skin, and 5% are melanomas, which develop in the pigment-producing cells of the skin (melanocytes). The remaining 5% include adenocarcinomas (which develop from gland cells), basal cell carcinomas (which rarely spread), and rare cancers such as Bartholin gland cancer.
Vulvar cancer begins on the surface of the vulva. Most of these cancers grow slowly, remaining on the surface for years. However, some (for example, melanomas) grow quickly. Untreated, vulvar cancer can eventually invade the vagina, the urethra, or the anus and spread into lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdomen and into the bloodstream.