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Cancer is considered one of the most dangerous diseases, because it can attack any tissue in the body. The success of treatment depends on how early we recognize it and go to a doctor; in most cases the symptoms are ambiguous and hard to identify. Vaginal cancer is a very rare type of cancer that affects the cells lining the muscular wall of the organ.
Early detection is crucial
Diagnosing this type of cancer at an early stage is absolutely essential, because only then are the chances of recovery high. If the tumor continues to spread, treatment is often extremely difficult. For this reason it is necessary to be able to recognize early symptoms. One of them can be unusual bleeding. This can be bleeding outside the cycle, bleeding immediately after the end of menstruation, or any deviation from the normal cycle.
If blood appears in the urine or stool, it does not necessarily mean cancer, but you should still be careful. Sometimes the frequency of urination can change or constipation may occur. A strong warning sign is persistent pain in the pelvic area, especially during sexual intercourse or during urination. If it appears, consult your doctor immediately.
What are the risk factors?
Vaginal cancer has several risk factors. The specific cause remains unknown, but it has been shown that there are certain factors that are likely associated with this disease. These include especially older age, the presence of the HIV or HPV virus in the body, and also smoking, which in any case increases the risk of other types of cancer as well.
Treatment of vaginal carcinoma includes internal or external radiation therapy, chemotherapy and in some cases a surgical procedure. The good news is that if treatment is started in the first stage, the chance of survival reaches 84 %. In the second stage it drops to 75 % and in the third stage to 57 %. The most effective prevention is to reduce exposure to risk factors, which means quitting smoking, eating a healthy and balanced diet and being more cautious during sexual intercourse with a new partner.
