Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Vaginal Cancer
Vaginal cancer is a rare type of cancer that starts in the vagina. The vagina is the canal leading from your cervix (the opening of your uterus) to the outside of your body.
You are more likely to develop vaginal cancer if:
- You're age 60 or older.
- You've had certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections.
- You were exposed to a medicine called DES (diethylstilbestrol) before you were born. Between 1940-1971, DES was sometimes prescribed to prevent miscarriages. DES was later linked to different health problems, including vaginal cancer.
- You have had abnormal cells in your vagina, cervix, or uterus.
Vaginal cancer often doesn't have early symptoms. However, see your health care provider if you notice:
- Vaginal bleeding that is not your period
- A vaginal lump
- Pelvic pain
- Pain during sex
- Pain while urinating (peeing)
- Constipation or blood in your stool (poop) or urine (pee)
To find out if you have vaginal cancer, your provider will use tests that examine the vagina and other organs in your pelvis. These tests may include:
- A pelvic exam. Your provider may also do a Pap test and/or an HPV test during your pelvic exam.
- Colposcopy, a procedure to examine your cervix, vagina, and vulva.
- Biopsy, a procedure to remove some cells so they can be checked for cancer.
Vaginal cancer can often be cured if it is found early. Treatments for vaginal cancer may include surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy.
Vaccines that protect against HPV infection may reduce your risk of vaginal cancer. The vaccines provide the most protection if you get them before you are exposed to HPV. So it's best to get vaccinated before you become sexually active.
It sits within Cancers, Women and Female Reproductive System.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Cancer Institute.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Vaginal Cancer
419 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Deep Neuromuscular Blockade and a Low-Residue Diet for the Surgical Field in vNOTES HysterectomyFatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital
- Data Collection Study of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology ConditionsEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- Dual-Modality Immunotherapy for HPV Clearance (DUAL-HPV)Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital
- Vaginal Dilator Therapy After Pelvic RadiationDuke University
- DESTINY-PANTUMOUR04AstraZeneca
- Acceptability of Testing DNA Markers in Vaginal Fluid for the Detection of Endometrial CancerMayo Clinic
Research already completed
- Recovery and Quality of Life in Cervical Cancer Patients Using Vaginal Dilators After RadiotherapyChulabhorn Cancer Center
- Bupropion Hydrochloride in Improving Sexual Desire in Women With Breast or Gynecologic CancerNRG Oncology
- Vaginal Self-sampling for Detecting High-risk Human Papillomavirus Cervical Infection in Patients With Immune-mediated Inflammatory DiseasesAssistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
- Combination Immunotherapy in Subjects With Advanced HPV Associated MalignanciesNational Cancer Institute (NCI)
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Vaginal and Vulvar CancersCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Vaginal Cancer TreatmentNational Cancer Institute
- What Is Vaginal Cancer?American Cancer Society
Symptoms
- Symptoms of Vaginal and Vulvar CancersCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Diagnosis and Tests
- ColposcopyNational Library of Medicine
- Tests for Vaginal CancerAmerican Cancer Society
Treatments and Therapies
- Drugs Approved for Vaginal CancerNational Cancer Institute
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Can Vaginal Cancer Be Prevented?American Cancer Society
- Risk Factors for Vaginal CancerAmerican Cancer Society
Related Issues
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Exposure and CancerNational Cancer Institute
- Fertility ProblemsAmerican Cancer Society
Statistics and Research
- Key Statistics for Vaginal CancerAmerican Cancer Society
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaginal NeoplasmsNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Vaginal Neoplasms. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Vaginal Cancer, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.