Research into vaginal cancer

How to find a clinical trial

It can be more difficult to do research into rare cancers such as vaginal cancer because there are fewer people to take part in them. So, compared to more common cancers there are relatively few trials.

Go to Cancer Research UK’s clinical trials database if you are looking for a trial for vaginal cancer in the UK. You need to talk to your specialist if there are any trials that you think you might be able to take part in.

Some of the trials on this page have now stopped recruiting people. It takes time before the results are available. This is because the trial team follows the patients for a time and collects and analyses the results. We have included this ongoing research to give examples of the type of research being carried out in vaginal cancer.

Find a clinical trial

Research and clinical trials

All cancer treatments have to be fully researched before they can be used for everyone. This is so we can be sure that:

• they work

• they work better than the treatments already available 

• they are known to be safe

Research into the treatment of vaginal cancer

There are some clinical trials in the UK looking at treatment for vaginal cancer. Researchers are looking at:

• vaccines

• drug treatments

Vaccines 

Researchers looked at a vaccine for people with cancer that tested positive for the ​human papillomavirus (HPV)​ and which came back after treatment. HPV positive cancers include some types of vaginal cancer.

HPV is a common virus. There are different types of HPV and most don’t cause serious problems. But some types, such as HPV16, can cause changes to cells that can develop into cancer. 

In this trial doctors looked at a new vaccine called RNA. It has been made in the laboratory to help the immune system recognise and attack HPV16.

The study team wanted to find out how well the RNA vaccine works as a treatment. They also wanted to know the safest dose and learn more about the side effects.

Drug treatment 

A study looked at a ​immunotherapy​ cancer drug called pembrolizumab to treat a type of cancer called clear cell cancer. Clear cell cancer is a rare type of vaginal cancer. 

The trial team found that pembrolizumab might work as a treatment for clear cell cancers that have spread.

In another study, researchers looked at a drug called nivolumab.

Nivolumab is already used to treat some types of cancers. Doctors think it might also work for vaginal cancer that has spread or come back after treatment. 

Pembrolizumab and nivolumab are both types of a cancer drug called monoclonal antibodies.

Read more about monoclonal antibodies

Research into side effects of treatment for vaginal cancer

After treatment to the pelvic area, some people have long term side effects. Trials are looking at ways to reduce or manage these side effects.

Bowel changes 

Researchers think that an electronic nose might predict long term changes in bowel function after radiotherapy to the pelvis. An electronic nose is a device that identifies bacteria types from individual smells. Researchers use it to find bacteria in poo samples, and see who develops severe bowel symptoms after radiotherapy.

Controlling symptoms   

Doctors think that a treatment called ​high intensity focussed ultrasound (HIFU)​ might help control symptoms of women’s cancer that has come back after treatment. HIFU is a treatment that uses high frequency sound waves to create heat and destroy cancer cells. It might help with symptoms such as pain or bleeding.