Vaginal Cancer (cont.)
Treatment options by stage
Stage 0 Vaginal Cancer (carcinoma in situ)
Treatment of vaginal squamous cell carcinoma in situ may include the
following:
- Wide local excision, with or without a skin graft.
- Partial or total
vaginectomy, with or without a skin graft.
- Topical chemotherapy.
- Laser
surgery.
- Internal radiation therapy.
Stage I Vaginal Cancer
Treatment of stage I squamous cell vaginal cancer may include the following:
- Internal radiation therapy, with or without external radiation therapy to
lymph nodes or large tumors.
- Wide local excision or vaginectomy with vaginal
reconstruction. Radiation therapy may be given after the surgery.
- Vaginectomy
and lymphadenectomy, with or without vaginal reconstruction. Radiation therapy
may be given after the surgery.
Treatment of stage I vaginal adenocarcinoma may include the following:
- Vaginectomy, hysterectomy, and lymphadenectomy. This may be followed by
vaginal reconstruction and/or radiation therapy.
- Internal radiation therapy,
with or without external radiation therapy to lymph nodes.
- A combination of
therapies that may include wide local excision with or without lymphadenectomy
and internal radiation therapy.
Stage II Vaginal Cancer
Treatment of stage II vaginal cancer is the same for squamous cell cancer and
adenocarcinoma. Treatment may include the following:
- Both internal and external radiation therapy to the vagina, with or without
external radiation therapy to lymph nodes.
- Vaginectomy or pelvic exenteration,
with or without radiation therapy.
Stage III Vaginal Cancer
Treatment of stage III vaginal cancer is the same for squamous cell cancer
and adenocarcinoma. Treatment may include both internal and external radiation
therapy, with or without surgery.
Stage IVA Vaginal Cancer
Treatment of stage IVA vaginal cancer is the same for squamous cell cancer
and adenocarcinoma. Treatment may include both internal and external radiation
therapy, with or without surgery.
Stage IVB Vaginal Cancer
Treatment of stage IVB vaginal cancer is the same for squamous cell cancer
and adenocarcinoma. Treatment may include the following:
- Radiation therapy as palliative therapy, to relieve symptoms and improve
the quality of life. Chemotherapy may also be given.
- A clinical trial of
chemotherapy and/or radiosensitizers.
This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical
trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information
about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.
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