Types of vaginal cancer

Squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of vaginal cancer. About 90 out of 100 vaginal cancers (about 90%) are of this type. 

Squamous cells are the flat, skin-like cells that cover the surface of the vagina. The cancer may look like small lumps (nodules) or sores (ulcers). 

This type is most likely to develop in the upper part of the vagina, closest to the cervix. 

Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN)

Before squamous cell cancer develops, there may be pre cancerous changes to the cells. These cell changes are called vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia or VAIN.

Find out more about VAIN

Verrucous carcinoma of the vagina

Verrucous carcinoma is a rare type of squamous cell vaginal cancer which usually looks like a large wart. It is slow growing and rarely spreads to other parts of the body. It is usually curable with surgery, even if it is very large.

Adenocarcinoma of the vagina

Adenocarcinoma of the vagina can be hard to diagnose. This is because the cancer is more likely to be hidden inside the vaginal canal.

Around 10 in 100 vaginal cancers (around 10%) are adenocarcinomas. They start in the gland cells in the lining of the vagina. These are called adenomatous cells. Adenocarcinomas can occur in young women.

There are different types of adenocarcinoma of the vagina: 

• papillary – this can grow in the connective tissues that surround the vagina 

• mucinous – these get their name from the pools of mucus that are seen around the cancer cells

• adenosquamous – these are made up of squamous cells and gland cells

• clear cell adenocarcinoma – these get their name because the cells look clear under the microscope

Vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma

This is a rare type of vaginal cancer. It usually occurs in young women whose mothers took a drug called diethylstilbestrol (DES) when they were pregnant.

Up until 1970, some women took DES to stop them from having a miscarriage. 

Clear cell cancers of the vagina usually develop in women in their teens or twenties. But there are reports of women diagnosed in their early forties. As it’s now more than 50 years since the use of DES in pregnancy, these cancers are becoming even rarer.

Sarcoma of the vagina

Sarcomas are cancers that start in the body’s connective tissues. These tissues form the structure of the body. They include bone, muscle, fat and cartilage. Sarcomas of the vagina are rare and account for only about 3 out of every 100 vaginal cancers (about 3%). These cancers tend to grow quickly.

Different types of sarcoma can start in the vagina. These include leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. These are both muscle tumours. It's possible to have other types of sarcoma, such as mixed Mullerian sarcoma. But these are extremely rare.

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma is also called sarcoma botryoides. It is a very rare type of vaginal sarcoma. It only develops in girls up to the age of 6 years. It usually causes vaginal bleeding and soft nodules that fill the vagina. These can sometimes show outside the vagina.

This is a very quickly growing cancer. Treatment is usually a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Read about treatment for sarcomas

Vaginal melanoma

Vaginal melanoma develops from the cells in the skin that produce pigment. These are called melanocytes. They are most likely to develop in the lower third of the vagina.

Vaginal melanoma is rare. Only about 3 out of every 100 vaginal cancers (about 3%) are melanomas.

Find out more about vaginal melanoma

Rare types of vaginal cancer

There are other types of vaginal cancer that are extremely rare. These include:

• small cell cancer – sometimes called oat cell cancer because the cancer cells are oat shaped

• vaginal lymphoma – this starts in the lymph glands or lymphatic system

• carcinoid cancer – which starts in the neuroendocrine system, which is made up of nerve and gland cells