Vulvar Cancer

Vulvar cancer forms in a woman’s external genitalia. The vulva includes inner and outer lips of the vagina, clitoris, opening of the vagina and its glands, and the mons pubis. In most cases, vulvar cancer affects the outer vaginal lips.

Risk of vulvar cancer is increased in women with a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection or a condition known as vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), which is when abnormal cells grow on the surface of the vulvar skin over a long period. Since VIN can become vulvar cancer, it is very important to get treatment. Other potential risk factors include having a history of genital warts, having many sexual partners, having first sexual intercourse at a young age, and having a history of abnormal Pap smears.

In 2025, it was estimated that some 7,480 women living in the United States would be diagnosed with vulvar cancer and 1,770 would die of the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program.

Vulvar Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)

Source: National Cancer Institute