Can Vaginal Cancer Be Found Early?
Sometimes vaginal cancer can be found early, when it's small and hasn't spread. It can cause symptoms that lead women to seek medical attention. But many vaginal cancers don't cause symptoms until they've grown and spread.
Pre-cancerous areas of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) don't usually cause any symptoms.
Still, routine ob-gyn exams and cervical cancer screening can sometimes find cases of VAIN and early invasive vaginal cancer.
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- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Cao D, Wu D, Xu Y. Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia in patients after total hysterectomy. Curr Probl Cancer. 2021 Jun;45(3):100687. doi: 10.1016/j.currproblcancer.2020.100687. Epub 2020 Dec 4. PMID: 33309077.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaginal and Vulvar Cancer Basics. Oct 23, 2023. Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/vaginal-vulvar
Wei J, Wu Y. Comprehensive evaluation of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia development after hysterectomy: insights into diagnosis and treatment strategies. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2024 Jul;310(1):1-10. doi: 10.1007/s00404-024-07530-1. Epub 2024 May 14. PMID: 38743076; PMCID: PMC11168985.
Last Revised: September 23, 2024
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