If you are born with a vagina you are at risk of vaginal cancer. This is relevant to you if you’ve not undergone genital surgery (a vaginectomy), if some of your vaginal wall was remodelled during a metoidioplasty or if some vaginal tissues were left or remodelled during a phalloplasty procedure (both surgeries can be called ‘bottom surgery’).
Vaginal cancer is the rarest of the gynae cancers, and is diagnosed in around 250 people in the UK each year. It is most commonly diagnosed in people over 60 years of age and is rare under 40 years old.
Symptoms
- Abnormal bleeding, eg. between periods, after menopause or during or after sex
- A change in discharge, including smell or being blood stained
- An internal lump or growth that you or your doctor can feel
- An internal itch that won’t go away
- Pain when weeing (urinating)
- Pain or difficulty having sex
If you have any of these symptoms, it is important that you see your GP. It is more likely to be caused by something less serious than cancer, but it is always worth getting them checked, just in case. The earlier vaginal cancer is caught, the more treatment options there are available and the best possible chance someone will have of successful treatment, so knowing what to look out for and getting any concerning symptoms checked as soon as possible is really important.
Risk Factors
We don’t often know exactly what causes a vaginal cancer, but there are some factors that increase your risk:
Age
40% of cases are in people over the age of 75.
Human papilloma virus (HPV
HPV is a group of common viruses that are spread through skin-to-skin sexual contact, there are estimated to be more than 200 different types.
Most of us will come into contact with HPV at some time during our lives, and usually our immune system can clear the virus on its own without it causing any problems.
If HPV doesn’t clear it can sometimes develop into cancer. Around 7 in 10 cases of vaginal cancer are linked to HPV.
Getting the HPV vaccine if you are eligible and using condoms/dams if relevant may help to reduce your risk of developing vaginal cancer in the future. You can find out more about HPV, the cancers related to it, and how to reduce your risk in our guide to HPV.
Abnormal cells in the cervix or vagina
You’re more likely to develop cancer of the vagina if you’ve previously been found to have abnormal cells in your:
- Cervix- known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)
- Vagina- known as vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN)
CIN and VAIN are terms used to describe cells that have abnormal changes, but are not cancer. CIN and VAIN are thought to be closely linked to having a persistent HPV infection.
Other risk factors include having had cervical cancer, having womb cancer treated with radiotherapy, smoking, having a weakened immune system (including lupus, and HIV/AIDS) and your Mum taking a tablet called Diethylstilbestrol (DES) when she was pregnant.
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Information updated: November 2024. Next review due: November 2027
More information
If you have any more questions or worries about your gynae health, including vaginal cancer, you can speak to our Ask Eve nurses for free and confidential information and advice.
Speak to an Ask Eve Nurse
Download our guide to HPV
Womb cancer
Ovarian cancer
Cervical cancer
Vulval cancer