Staging systems provide doctors with a common language for describing tumors. After vulvar cancer is first diagnosed, a series of tests are used to investigate the extent of the cancer and to see whether it has spread to other parts of the body. Staging is a way of recording the size, aggressiveness and growth of a cancer, and determining the plan for treatment. By understanding the stage of your cancer, you can make informed decisions about your treatment.
Staging vulvar cancer attempts to discover the following:
- The depth of the tumor
- Whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and tissues
- Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body
Stages of vulvar cancer
Staging cancer helps our gynecologic oncologists compare an individual situation to other patients with vulvar cancer. They can also review clinical studies on groups of patients in similar cancer stages to determine how the cancer may behave, and how different treatments may work.
Vulvar cancer can spread by direct extension, meaning it can grow into adjacent areas such as the vagina and anus. Vulvar cancer can spread to lymph nodes in its early stages. However, spread to other organs is rare until late in the course of the disease.
Like many types of cancer, vulvar cancer has five main stages. They are:
- Stage 0. Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia
- Stage I. Cancer is limited to the vulva and perineum, and measures < 2 cm in size
- Stage II. Cancer is limited to the vulva and perineum, but tumor is > 2 cm in size
- Stage III. Cancer has spread to vagina, urethra, anus, and/or the lymph nodes in the groin
- Stage IV. Cancer has spread to bladder, bowel, pelvic bone, pelvic lymph nodes, and/or other parts of the body