The vagina is the tube that runs between the cervix (the lower part of the uterus or womb) and the vulva (the female external genitalia).
There are different types of vaginal cancer, but the most common is squamous cell carcinoma, a growth that develops in the lining of the vagina. These account for up to 95% of all cases of vaginal cancer.
Primary vaginal cancer (cancer that originates in the vagina) is very rare. There are only about 200 new cases each year in the UK, with over 70% of these occurring in women aged over 60. More commonly, cancer will begin in another part of the body and spread to the vagina (secondary vaginal cancer).
The symptoms and treatment of vaginal cancer depend on the stage the cancer has reached when it is diagnosed. The four recognised stages of vaginal cancer are:
- Cancer is limited to the wall of the vagina.
- Cancer has spread past the walls of the vagina but not as far as the pelvis.
- Cancer has reached the pelvic wall, lymph nodes or both.
- Cancer has spread past the pelvis to the bladder, rectum or further organs, such as the lungs.