Cancer of the vagina (A) is very rare. Operation is very difficult because of the close proximity of the vagina to the bladder (B) and the rectum (C).

What is vaginal cancer?
Cancer originating in the vagina is a rare disease. Many cancers of the vagina have actually spread from elsewhere in the body, usually from the uterus or cervix. Cancer of the vagina is very rare among women of less than 50 years of age.

What are the symptoms of vaginal cancer?
There aren't many clear symptoms. If you have a bloody discharge and bleeding during sexual intercourse or if you experience bleeding from the vagina after the menopause you should always be examined by your doctor or gynaecologist.

How is vaginal cancer diagnosed?
Early stages can be detected through a special examination using a colposcope, a magnifying instrument for examining the vagina, which is performed by a gynaecologist. A biopsy is always necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

How is vaginal cancer treated?
Surgery to remove a part or the whole of the vagina is usually necessary. Technically, it can be a complicated operation for the surgeon because the vagina lies so close to the bladder at the front, and the bowel at the back. This type of surgery is only performed by specially trained gynaecologists in a small number of hospitals in the UK.

Radiotherapy may also be necessary.

What is the prognosis?
If the operation is carried out in time, a full recovery from vaginal cancer is possible.

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