Types of Treatment for Vulvar Cancer
Treatment for vulvar cancer is either local or systemic. Local treatments remove, destroy, or control the cancer cells in a certain area. Surgery and radiation are examples of local treatments. They are the most common treatments for vulvar cancer. Systemic treatments are used to destroy or control cancer cells throughout the entire body. When taken by pill or injection, chemotherapy is a systemic treatment sometimes used for vulvar cancer. You may have just one treatment or a combination of these treatments.
- Surgery removes the cancer while keeping as much surrounding normal tissue as possible.
- Radiation uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells or shrink the tumor before surgery.
- Chemotherapy uses anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells.
Doctors are always looking for new ways to treat vulvar cancer. These new methods are tested in clinical trials. Before beginning treatment, ask your doctor if there are any clinical trials you should consider.