Is vulvar cancer stage III considered advanced?

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on September 07, 2024
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Vulvar cancer is a type of malignant tumor in women's gynecology, which has a relatively low clinical incidence rate. For stage III vulvar cancer, it is considered advanced vulvar cancer. Advanced vulvar cancer indicates that the lesion has spread. For vulvar cancer with lesion spread, surgical treatment should be pursued if possible. For patients who cannot undergo surgery, options like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and other comprehensive combined treatment methods can be considered for cancer treatment. However, for patients with advanced vulvar cancer, the aim of treatment is mainly to improve the quality of life and extend the survival time, as complete clinical cure of the tumor is not possible. Only early-stage vulvar cancer, after receiving curative surgery or curative radiotherapy, may achieve a clinically cured effect.

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Can vulvar cancer be detected by B-ultrasound?

Vulvar cancer, due to its superficial location, does not require an ultrasound for detection. Vulvar cancer is a malignant tumor of the vulva, with primary squamous epithelium being the most common type. The main clinical manifestations are vulvar nodules, often accompanied by pain and significant itching. Local necrosis or infection can occur, and the lesions of vulvar cancer can be directly observed with the naked eye. However, ultrasound examination is also widely used in vulvar cancer, not for detecting the cancer itself, but for examining whether there is enlargement of the lymph nodes in the groin, abdomen, and pelvic regions, suspecting invasion by cancer cells.

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Vulvar cancer lymph node metastasis is stage III.

Vulvar cancer is a type of malignant tumor in the female reproductive system, commonly occurring in postmenopausal elderly women. The disease progresses to involve lymph node metastasis, and its clinical staging is either stage III or stage IV. If the disease spreads to the inguinal lymph nodes with no other site affected, then the clinical stage is considered stage III. If the vulvar cancer metastasizes to the pelvic lymph nodes, or distant locations such as the liver, lungs, or bones, then it is classified as stage IV. For cases of stage III and IV vulvar cancer, the main treatment methods are palliative surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The treatment strategy primarily involves a combination of surgery and radiation therapy along with chemotherapy. For patients with stage III and IV vulvar cancer, the prognosis is generally poor.

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What will happen when vulvar cancer becomes severe?

Vulvar cancer is a malignant tumor of the female reproductive system. When vulvar cancer becomes severe, the lesions metastasize to many areas, which can cause serious clinical symptoms, severely affect the patient's quality of life, and even endanger the patient's life. For example, if vulvar cancer metastasizes to the inguinal lymph nodes, pain can occur in the area of the metastases. Additionally, mobility of the limb on the side of the metastases is limited, and swelling of the lower limb occurs. If the patient's lesions metastasize to the lungs through the hematogenous route, clinically the patient may experience coughing, expectoration, chest tightness, chest pain, and even some patients may have respiratory failure, which severely threatens their life. Some patients have bone metastases, and besides pain in the area of the bone metastases, some patients also experience pathological fractures, limited mobility, and significant pain.

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Is conservative treatment or surgery better for vulvar cancer?

Vulvar cancer is a malignant tumor in female gynecology. There are various treatment options for patients with vulvar cancer. The choice between surgical treatment and conservative treatment depends on multiple factors such as the patient's clinical stage and physical condition. For patients with early-stage vulvar cancer, radical surgical excision is the best treatment method. However, some patients with poor physical condition may not tolerate surgery and may instead receive curative radiotherapy or systemic chemotherapy as an alternative treatment. For patients with mid-to-late stage vulvar cancer, the best treatment method is comprehensive internal medicine treatments, such as chemotherapy and targeted therapy. For patients with advanced vulvar cancer who have a poor physical condition and cannot tolerate chemotherapy or other antitumor treatments, the best treatment method is conservative treatment aimed at maintaining stable vital signs.

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Is the vulvar cancer nodule soft or hard?

Vulvar cancer clinically forms nodular lesions that are generally hard in texture with poor mobility and tend to adhere to surrounding tissues, and have indistinct borders. Due to the rapid growth of the nodules, their shape is usually irregular, easily forming granulomatous or cauliflower-like appearances, and they are prone to contact bleeding. Patients with vulvar cancer typically have nodular lesions that are likely to invade surrounding tissues or metastasize to lymph nodes. The chances of distant metastasis to the lungs, liver, bones, or brain are relatively lower. Clinically, it is common to see enlarged inguinal lymph nodes and pain caused by metastatic foci. Some patients may also experience local skin metastasis, subcutaneous nodules, or skin itching as clinical manifestations. For the treatment of vulvar cancer, radical surgery is primarily recommended, with radiation therapy and chemotherapy also being effective options.