Treat Vaginal Cancer With Proton Therapy

Vaginal cancer is very rare, occurring only in up to 2% of women in the United States. Vaginal cancer occurs in mainly older women, and appears most often as squamous cell carcinoma, beginning in the lining of the vagina. Squamous cells are found in the lining of the vagina, and those that become cancerous are most commonly found in the upper part of the vagina near the cervix. Vaginal cancer develops slowly, first as the cells change abnormally, and could turn into cancer if not treated.

Like vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer is rare, accounting for 6% of all cancers of the female reproductive organs and just 0.7% of all cancers in women in the United States. Vulvar cancer, affecting the outer areas of the female genitals, appears most often as squamous cell carcinoma, and most often develops in older women.

Comparison image – Proton Therapy is on the left, Photon Therapy is on the right

How Is Vaginal Cancer Treated?

Many cases of low-grade precancerous cells in the vagina are watched by physicians over time. If they maintain or spread as lesions, the cancer is treated with laser surgery or topical therapies. However, if the cancer is invasive in nature, it is often treated with radiation therapy, in a combination of external and internal applications. 

When considering radiation, proton therapy is often preferred to treat vaginal cancer. Proton therapy applies a concentrated dose of radiation directly to the diseased area, limiting harm to the vital, healthy tissues surrounding it that are often exposed with traditional photon therapy. In addition, side effects are minimized with proton therapy.

Gynecologic cancers we treat with proton therapy

• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Adenocarcinoma
• Melanoma
• Sarcoma