Vaginal cancer
Anything that can increase your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor.
Different cancers have different risk factors. Having one or more of these risk factors doesn't mean you will definitely get that cancer.
As with most cancers, vaginal cancer becomes more common as you get older. But it is a rare cancer so the risk is low, even in older women.
In the UK, more than 35 out of every 100 cases (more than 35%) occur in women aged 75 and over. Vaginal cancer is very rare in women younger than 40.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common infection. It is passed from one person to another through close skin to skin contact, usually during sexual activity. In most people HPV causes no harm and goes away without treatment.
Most people in the UK are infected with the HPV virus at some time during their lifetime.
There are many different types of HPV. Most are harmless but some cause genital warts. Others cause changes that can develop into cancer. These are called high risk types. As well as vaginal cancer, HPV can cause:
cervical cancer
anal cancer
vulval cancer
penile cancer
some types of mouth and throat cancers
HPV causes more than 70 out of 100 (more than 70%) vaginal cancers in the UK. Most are these are caused by HPV type 16.
Women who have HPV have an increased risk of developing pre cancerous cell changes (VAIN). Some may develop vaginal cancer. It’s important to remember that most people who have HPV don’t develop cancer of the vagina.
The HPV vaccine protects against types of HPV that can cause the cancers listed above. It also protects against genital warts.
Read more about HPV and the HPV vaccine
If you have have had cervical cancer or pre cancerous changes in your cervical cells, you may have a higher risk of vaginal cancer.
Cervical cancer, , and vaginal cancer are all associated with HPV, which partly explains this link. Cancer spreading from the cervix to the vagina, or late effects of some cervical cancer treatments, may also play a part. Pre cancerous cervical cell changes are also called cervical dysplasia or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).
Read more about abnormal cervical cells
Being HIV positive may increase the risk of vaginal cancer as well as other cancers in the genital or anal area. This may be because people living with HIV are less able to overcome HPV infection.
You have a higher risk of vaginal cancer and VAIN if you have a weakened immune system, This might include:
having and autoimmune disease
if you have had an organ transplant
taking medicines that suppress your immune system (immunosuppressants)
This is because you are less able to overcome HPV infection if your immune system is weaker.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a drug that doctors used to give to pregnant women to stop them from having a miscarriage. DES was only used between 1945 and 1970 and researchers are still gathering information about its effects.
Daughters of women who took DES during their pregnancy, particularly during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy are more at risk of getting a type of vaginal cancer called clear cell adenocarcinoma. This usually happens in their late teens or twenties, but cases have also been reported in women in their early 40s.
Doctors haven’t used DES for over 50 years now, so it’s becoming less common as a risk factor.
Smoking tobacco might increase your risk of getting VAIN and vaginal cancer. This is because you are less able to overcome HPV infection if you smoke.
Find out about smoking and cancer
Stories about potential causes are often in the media and it isn’t always clear which ideas are supported by evidence. There might be things you have heard of that we haven’t included here. This is because either there is no evidence about them, or it is less clear.
Find out about possible causes and cancer controversies
There are ways you can reduce your overall risk of cancer.
Last reviewed: 19 Nov 2025
Next review due: 20 Nov 2028
The main symptom of vaginal cancer is bleeding in between your periods or after the menopause.
The type of vaginal cancer you have depends on what type of cell it started in. Squamous cell is the most common type of vaginal cancer.
The stage of a vaginal cancer tells you how big it is and whether it has spread. The grade means how abnormal the cells look under the microscope. They help your doctor decide which treatment you need.
You usually start by seeing your GP. They will examine you and might refer you for tests or to a specialist.
Your treatment depends on a number of factors including the type and stage of cancer and where the cancer is in your vagina.
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