The vulva is the woman's external genital organ, the entrance that houses the urine and vagina canal. It is composed of the large lips, the small lips, the clitoris and the hymen. Vulva cancer is what arises in one part of the vulva as a stain or wound that does not heal and increases. It is more common in women over 50, but some factors may cause the disease in younger women.
Therefore, any vulva wound that takes more than a month to heal should be investigated. Other symptoms of vulva cancer are itching in the intimate region for a long period and may or may not be associated with burning and pain in sexual intercourse.
Anyone who has had contact with the HPV virus is more likely to develop this cancer. Put the shame aside and no waiting, see your gynecologist as soon as possible.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis of vulva cancer can be made by periodic gynecological examination. Lesions caused by the disease can be identified with the naked eye or through the colposcope (image-enhancing device).
Another way to detect this cancer is through the Collins test, where suspicious lesions receive a dye (toluidine blue) and then a remover (acetic acid). In places that remain colored, a biopsy is performed.
The treatment of vulvar cancer is surgical and involves two sites: the vulva and the inguinal region (groin). Groin (lymph node) lymph nodes function as defensive filters that prevent the tumor from moving elsewhere. But are affected by cancer, must be removed. The procedure for removal depends greatly on the size of the tumor, and if the disease is in the early stages, the better the outcome.
Sex life after vulva cancer
A big myth about vulva cancer is that after treatment, a woman can no longer have sex. The vulva is just the entrance to the vagina, which remains intact after surgery. It is possible that the sensation during sexual intercourse changes after treatment of the disease, but the woman may remain sexually active and may even feel pleasure.
Vulvar cancer survivor: My advice for new cancer patients (April 2024)
- Cancer, Prevention and Treatment
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