Finding vaginal cancer early

Last medical review:

When vaginal cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better. Get regular health checkups and see your doctor if you have any symptoms or are worried about your health.

You may be embarrassed or uncomfortable talking to your healthcare team about your vagina, but you don't need to be. They are used to answering questions and addressing concerns about all body parts.

If you have a higher than average risk, you may need to visit your doctor more often to check for vaginal cancer. Talk to your doctor about tests that can help find vaginal cancer early, including the following:

Expert review and references

  • American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Cancer.Net: Vaginal Cancer: Diagnosis. 2022.
  • British Columbia Cancer Agency. Vaginal Cancer. 2021. http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/.
  • Delpero E, Selk A. Shifting from cytology to HPV testing for cervical cancer screening in Canada. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2022: 194(17):E613–E615.
  • Wright TC, Stoler MH, Behrens CM, Sharma A, Zhang G, Wright TL. Primary cervical cancer screening with human papillomavirus: End of study results from the ATENA study using HPV as the first line screening test. Gynecologic Oncology. 2015: 136(2):189–197.

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Medical disclaimer

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