Overview

The vulva is a woman’s external genitalia and is made up of the skin and fatty tissue that surround the clitoris and the openings of the vagina and urethra. The fatty tissue makes up two folds, called the labia majora and labia minora. Cancer of the vulva occurs most often in or on the labia. Less frequently, it can occur on the clitoris or in the glands on the sides of the vaginal opening, called Bartholin’s glands, which produce a mucus­­-like lubricating fluid.

Vulvar cancer is classified into three main types, named for the type of tissue where the cancer started.

Squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer that accounts for about 90% of vulvar cancers. It is usually found on the labia.

Adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma starts in the Bartholin’s glands or vulvar sweat glands and accounts for a small percentage of vulvar cancers. It is usually found on the sides of the vaginal opening.

Melanoma. Melanoma is another type of skin cancer that accounts for about 2% to 4% of vulvar cancers. It occurs most often on the clitoris or the labia minora. Women with melanoma on other parts of their body have an increased risk of developing vulvar melanoma. For more information, read the Cancer.Net Guide to Melanoma.

Other, less common vulvar cancers include Paget’s disease of the vulva, in which adenocarcinoma cells are found in the vulvar skin; sarcoma, a tumor of the connective tissues beneath the skin; and verrucous carcinoma, a slow-growing subtype of squamous cell carcinoma that resembles a wart.

Statistics

In 2009, an estimated 3,580 women in the United States will be diagnosed with vulvar cancer. It is estimated that 900 deaths from this disease will occur this year. Vulvar cancer accounts for about 4% of cancers in female reproductive organs and 0.6% of all cancers in women. Its incidence is increasing in young women because of its association with the human papillomavirus (HPV). See the Risk Factors section for more information on HPV.

Cancer statistics should be interpreted with caution. These estimates are based on data from thousands of cases of this type of cancer in the United States each year, but the actual risk for a particular individual may differ. It is not possible to tell a woman how long she will live with vulvar cancer.

Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society's publication, Cancer Facts & Figures 2009.

Find out more about basic cancer terms used in this section.