I’ve Just Been Told I Have Vulvar Cancer
There are very few things scarier than being told you have cancer. You may feel like you’re in shock. You may not even want to believe what the doctor has told you. And there are probably so many questions you want to ask but you don’t know where to start.
First of all, it’s okay to be overwhelmed. And it’s okay to feel afraid. But you shouldn’t let those feelings stop you from finding out as much as you can about vulvar cancer and about the options you have. The more you know, the less helpless and afraid you will feel. And the more you know, the better you will be able to work with your healthcare team to make the best choices for your treatment.
In order to understand what is happening when you are diagnosed with cancer, it helps to understand how your body works normally. Our bodies are made up of tiny building blocks called cells. Normal cells grow and multiply when the body needs them, and die out when the body does not need them. Cancer is made up of abnormal cells that grow whether they are needed or not. Vulvar cancer is cancer that starts in the vulva. If you or your doctor finds it in its early stages, vulvar cancer is highly curable.
To decide the best course of treatment, your doctor needs to know as much as possible about the cancer. This will involve getting a variety of tests and working with more than one healthcare professional.
For example, your healthcare team will include a doctor who specializes in cancer, called an oncologist. It will also include a special doctor who treats women with vulvar cancer, called a gynecologic oncologist. Your healthcare team will answer all of your questions and guide you through each of the steps that you’ll take before, during, and after treatment. They will let you know which tests are being done and what the results mean, and they’ll help you in making treatment decisions.
Usually treatment for vulvar cancer begins a few weeks after diagnosis. This gives you time to get more tests, so that your doctor will have all of the details he or she may need. You will also have time to talk with your gynecologic oncologist about treatment choices, get a second opinion, decide about treatment, and prepare yourself and your loved ones.
Women with vulvar cancer now have more treatment choices than ever before, and there is more hope for survival. Doctors and researchers continue to learn more about this type of cancer, its prevention, detection, and treatment every day.
