Vaginal cancer symptoms can be mistaken for less serious conditions, leading to delayed diagnosis. Symptoms include unusual discharge, irregular vaginal bleeding, painful urination, constipation, pain during intercourse, and pelvic pain. A vaginal mass may also be present. Regular medical appointments and exams are essential for proper diagnosis and treatment. Routine Pap smears can detect vaginal cancer.
Often, vaginal cancer symptoms go undiagnosed because most of them are similar to symptoms of less serious conditions. Irregular vaginal bleeding, for example, could be mistaken for pregnancy or the use of some contraceptive methods. Similarly, painful urination could be mistaken for a urinary tract infection. On the other hand, many women do not experience vaginal cancer symptoms until the disease begins to progress. Couple the ambiguity or complete absence of symptoms with the rare nature of vaginal cancer and it’s easy to see why regular medical appointments and exams are essential for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Some examples of vaginal cancer symptoms that might be confused with other types of symptoms include unusual discharge, irregular vaginal bleeding, and urination changes. Usually, these symptoms are abnormal enough to avoid going unnoticed. For example, the discharge is usually watery and may smell like blood, and irregular vaginal bleeding typically occurs after intercourse or when a woman is already in menopause. Changes in urination could include painful urination. Some women may experience constipation and pain during intercourse, as well as pelvic pain, which can signal that the cancer has started to spread.
Perhaps the least confusing of the vaginal cancer symptoms is that of a vaginal mass. Vaginal cancer is cancer of the vaginal tissue and not of the more internal female reproductive organs such as the cervix and uterus. Therefore, a woman may find out about her mass before her doctor does. Sometimes, a vaginal mass is nothing more than a cyst, which can be monitored or removed if it causes adverse symptoms. To determine whether the mass is a cyst or a malignant tumor, your doctor will most likely order a biopsy.
Vaginal cancer is one of the rare cancers, estimated to affect only 2,000 women annually in the United States. Given this rarity and that many symptoms of vaginal cancer are similar to symptoms of other, less serious conditions, a correct diagnosis is sometimes delayed. Routine Pap smears can detect vaginal cancer, and women experiencing unusual symptoms should make appointments with their doctors. Even if the symptoms are not indicative of vaginal cancer, they are still abnormal and require careful diagnosis and treatment. If a woman is diagnosed with vaginal cancer, her doctor may also check for other types of reproductive cancers, as they often occur at the same time.
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