Vaginal Cancer

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Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention TOPICS

Can vaginal cancer be prevented?


Avoid HPV exposure

Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is a risk factor for vaginal cancer. In women, HPV infections occur mainly at younger ages and are less common in women over 30. The reason for this is not clear.

HPV is passed from one person to another during skin-to-skin contact with an infected area of the body. HPV can be spread during sex -- including vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, and oral sex -- but sex doesn't have to occur for the infection to spread. All that is needed is for there to be skin-to-skin contact with an area of the body infected with HPV. The virus can be spread through genital-to-genital contact. It is even possible for a genital infection to spread through hand-to-genital contact.






A person can be infected with HPV for years without any symptoms, so the absence of visible warts cannot be used to tell if someone has HPV. Even when someone doesn't have warts (or any other symptom), he (or she) can still be infected with HPV and pass the virus to somebody else.

HPV and men




Condoms and HPV


Get vaccinated

A vaccine called Gardasil can help protect against infection with HPV subtypes 16 and 18 (as well as 6 and 11). In studies, this vaccine was found to prevent anal and genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11 and to prevent anal, vulvar, vaginal, and cervical cancers and pre-cancers caused by types 16 and 18.

This vaccine can only be used to prevent HPV infection -- it does not help treat an existing infection. To be most effective, the vaccine should be given before a person becomes sexually active.

Gardasil was originally only approved for use in women to prevent cervical cancer, but it is now also approved to prevent vulvar and vaginal cancers and pre-cancers (in women) and to prevent anal cancers and pre-cancers in both men and women. It is also approved to prevent anal and genital warts in both men and women.

Cervarix, another HPV vaccine available in the US, can also be used to prevent infection with HPV types 16 and 18, but so far it has only been shown to help prevent cervical cancers and pre-cancers and not any of the other cancers linked to HPV infection (such as vaginal cancer). Cervarix also seems to protect against some high risk HPV types besides types 16 and 18.

More HPV vaccines are being developed and tested.

For more information about HPV and HPV vaccines, see Human Papilloma Virus and HPV Vaccines FAQ.

Don't smoke

Not smoking is another way to lower vaginal cancer risk. Women who don't smoke are also less likely to develop a number of other cancers, such as those of the lungs, mouth, throat, bladder, kidneys, and several other organs.

Find and treat pre-cancerous conditions

Most vaginal squamous cell cancers are believed to start out as pre-cancerous changes, called vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia or VAIN. VAIN may be present for years before turning into a true (invasive) cancer. These pre-cancers can sometimes be found as the result of cervical cancer screening (such as with a Pap test or HPV test). If a pre-cancer is found, it can be treated, stopping cancer before it really starts.

Still, since vaginal cancer and VAIN are rare, doctors do not often do other tests to look for them in women who do not have symptoms or a history of pre-cancer or cancer of the cervix, vagina, or vulva.

See our documents called Cervical Cancer and Cervical Cancer: Prevention and Early Detection for more information about cervical cancer screening.

How Pap tests and pelvic examinations are done

First, the skin of the outer lips (labia majora) and inner lips (labia minora) is examined for any visible abnormalities. Then the health care professional inserts a speculum, a metal or plastic instrument that keeps the vagina open so that the cervix and vagina can be seen clearly. Next, for the Pap test, a sample of cells and mucus is lightly scraped from the exocervix (outer part) using a spatula or a broom. A small brush is used to sample the endocervix (the inside part of the cervix that is closest to the body of the uterus). Then, the speculum is removed. The doctor then will check the organs of the pelvis by inserting 1 or 2 gloved fingers of one hand into the vagina while he or she palpates (feels) the lower abdomen, just above the pubic bone, with the other. The doctor may do a rectal exam at this time also. It is very important to know that a Pap test is not always done when a pelvic exam is done, so if you are uncertain you should ask if one was done.




Last Medical Review: 01/30/2013
Last Revised: 02/13/2014