Treatment options
Vulva cancer
Treatment options
The treatment for vulva cancer depends on a number of factors such as if it has spread, your health and your personal preference. If your cancer is in the early stages it may be possible to remove it completely. However, if it has spread this may not be possible.
Your specialist team will advise which, if any of the below, are suitable for you:
Surgery
How much tissue is removed during surgery will depend on the type and size of your cancer, the location of the tumour and whether there is evidence of lymphatic spread.
Surgery can include:
- Wide local excision – removal of the tumour and a margin of normal tissue around it.
- Partial vulvectomy – removal or part of the vulva or labia removed from one side.
- Radical vulvectomy – the vulva is removed, including the inner and outer labia and clitoris with a wide margin of healthy tissue.
- Sentinel lymph node sampling – This checks the lymph nodes near the vulva for signs of cancer. If your cancer has spread, these sentinel nodes are likely to be first affected.
- Groin node dissection – This removes all the lymph nodes in your groin, as well as the surrounding fatty and connective tissue.
You will normally spend three to five days in hospital post-surgery, although, this may vary between patients.
You can find more information about vulva surgery in our Patient Information Leaflet ‘Surgery for cancer of the vulva.’
Oncological treatments
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment which uses medicine to kill cancer cells. You may have chemotherapy on its own or with other anti-cancer treatments.
Read more about receiving chemotherapy at Royal Surrey Cancer Centre.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a treatment where radiation is used to kill cancer cells. You may receive radiotherapy with chemotherapy.
Learn more about radiotherapy for patients with vulva cancer in one of our helpful patient information leaflet.
Learn more about radiotherapy at Royal Surrey Cancer Centre.