Types of vulval cancer

The type of vulval cancer tells you which type of cell the cancer started in. There are different types of vulval cancer. The most common type is squamous cell carcinoma.

Doctors use the information about your vulval cancer type along with:

  • the size of the cancer and whether it has spread. This is the stage
  • how abnormal the cancer cells look under the microscope. This is the grade of the cancer

This helps your doctor decide which treatment you need.

How doctors find out about the type of vulva cancer you have

Your doctor takes a sample of tissue to find out which type of vulval cancer you have. This is a biopsy. They send the tissue sample to a laboratory, where a specialist doctor looks at it under a microscope. The specialist doctor is called a pathologist.

The cells of the different types of vulval cancer look different, so the pathologist is able to tell which type you have.

Squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell is the most common type of vulval cancer. About 90 out of 100 vulval cancers (about 90%) are this type.

Most squamous cell cancers start on the lips of the vulva (labia). More rarely, it can start in the clitoris and Bartholin's glands.

Diagram showing the anatomy of the vulva with Bartholinns glands

Vulval melanoma

This is the second most common type of vulval cancer. It is most often found in women who no longer have periods (post menopause). 

White women are at higher risk of vulval melanoma than Black women.

Paget’s disease of the vulva

This is a rare type of skin cancer. It usually affects the surface of the skin of the vulva and is slow growing. It is most often found in women who no longer have periods. 

Paget’s disease of the vulva causes itching and pain. Treatment includes surgery or a cream called imiquimod.  

This is also known as extramammary Paget’s disease as it is similar to Paget’s disease of the breast.

Other rarer types of vulval cancer

Other rarer cancers can develop in the vulva. 

Verrucous carcinoma

This is a type of squamous cell carcinoma. You usually have treatment with surgery. 

Basal cell carcinoma

This type of cancer develops from the deepest layer of skin cells called basal cells.

Sarcomas

There are different types of sarcomas that can affect the vulva. They include angiomyxoma and rhabdomyosarcoma.  

Bartholin’s gland carcinoma

The Bartholin’s glands make a fluid, which acts as a lubricant during sexual intercourse. These cancers are usually advanced by the time they are diagnosed. This means that they have spread to other parts of the body. 

  • Cancer of the vulva: 2021 update (FIGO cancer report 2021)
    A Olawaiye and M Cuello
    International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 2021. Vol 155, Issue S1, Pages 7-18

  • Vulvar melanoma: a multivariable analysis of 644 patients
    V Sugiyama and others 
    Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2007. Vol 110. Pages 296-301

  • British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS) vulval cancer guidelines: recommendations for practice
    J Morrison and others
    British Gynaecological Cancer Society, 2020

  • Ano-uro-genital mucosal melanoma UK national guidelines
    H Smith and others
    European Journal of Cancer, 2020. Vol 135. Pages 22-30

  • Paget's disease of the vulva
    S Tebes, R Cardosi and M Hoffman
    American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2002. Vol 187, issue 2. Pages 281-284

  • The information on this page is based on literature searches and specialist checking. We used many references and there are too many to list here. Please contact patientinformation@cancer.org.uk with details of the particular issue you are interested in if you need additional references for this information.

Last reviewed: 
24 Nov 2022
Next review due: 
24 Nov 2025

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