Your doctor will first ask about your symptoms and may recommend several tests to check for cancer or precancerous cells. Imaging tests will help determine if the cancer has spread, a process known as staging. Some of these tests may include:
- Pelvic Exam: Your doctor will inspect your vulva and use two fingers to check your vagina for abnormalities. A speculum is used to widen the vagina for a better view of the vaginal canal and cervix.
- Pap Smear: Cells are collected from your cervix with a spatula and brush and sent to a lab for testing.
- Colposcopy: A colposcope, a lighted magnifying instrument, helps your doctor look for abnormal cells in the vagina and cervix.
- Biopsy: A tissue sample is taken, usually during a pelvic exam or colposcopy, to test for cancer cells.
Staging
If diagnosed with vaginal cancer, further tests are used to determine the cancer’s stage, which indicates its size and whether it has spread. Staging helps guide treatment and provides insight into the likelihood of successful treatment.
Imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and PET scans are used to check the size of the tumor and whether it has spread. MRIs give details on tumor size, while PET scans can reveal abnormal lymph nodes. Other procedures, like cystoscopy and proctoscopy, check for spread to the bladder or rectum.
Staging System
Vaginal cancer is staged based on:
- T (Tumor): The size of the tumor and whether it has spread to nearby structures.
- N (Nodes): Whether cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the pelvis or groin.
- M (Metastasis): Whether cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes or organs.
Learn more about the stages of vaginal cancer.
