Vaginal Cancer

Back
Download Section as PDF

Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging of Vaginal Cancer

Learn about the signs and symptoms of vaginal cancer, the tests done to diagnose and stage it, and the outlook for people with a diagnosis.

On this page
[show] [hide]

Can vaginal cancer be found early?

Vaginal precancers, called vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN), can be found early, before symptoms develop. VaIN or early cervical cancers can be found during routine pelvic exams and from cervical cancer screening tests. Treatment of VaIN can sometimes prevent vaginal cancer.

There is no recommended screening test for people at average risk of vaginal cancer. Your healthcare team might recommend additional tests if you have a higher risk of vaginal cancer because of exposure to DES before birth.

Oftentimes, early vaginal cancers don’t have symptoms.

What are the signs and symptoms of vaginal cancer?

Some vaginal cancers don’t cause symptoms but might be found during a pelvic exam or after cervical cancer screening is done.

Depending on their size and location, vaginal cancers might cause symptoms such as:

  • Vaginal bleeding
  • Vaginal discharge
  • A lump felt or seen in the vagina
  • Pain in the pelvis or during sex
  • Frequent urination
  • Trouble passing stool

Signs and Symptoms of Vaginal Cancer

Learn about the signs and symptoms of vaginal cancers.

How is vaginal cancer diagnosed?

If you have signs or symptoms of vaginal cancer, you should see your healthcare team.

Your healthcare team will take a complete medical history to find out more about your symptoms. They might also ask you if you have certain risk factors, such as smoking or HPV infection. The team will then likely perform a pelvic exam to look for a cause of any symptoms.

Depending on what is found, additional tests such as a Pap test or biopsy might be done to look for cancer cells. Imaging or other exams might be needed, depending on the results.

Tests for Vaginal Cancer

Diagnosing vaginal cancer might involve physical exams, a Pap test, an HPV test, imaging, biopsy, or removal of a tumor.

Stages and outlook (prognosis) for vaginal cancer

After a vaginal cancer diagnosis, many people want to know what to expect. Your cancer care team uses information about a tumor’s stage (extent) to decide what treatment is best for each person.

Survival rates are a way to measure how many people survive a certain type of cancer over time. Some people find this information helpful, while others prefer to focus more on treatment plans and next steps.

Stages of Vaginal Cancer

Find out how different stages of vaginal cancer are determined and what they each mean.
Survival Rates for Vaginal Cancer

If a person has a vaginal cancer, doctors often use survival rates as a standard way to talk about prognosis (outlook).

Questions to ask if you have vaginal cancer

Understanding your diagnosis

  • How sure are you that my tumor is vaginal cancer?
  • What type of vaginal cancer do I have?
  • How big is the cancer?
  • How likely is this tumor to grow or spread quickly?
  • Has my tumor spread outside of the vagina?
  • What is my cancer’s stage, and what does that mean?
  • Will I need any other tests before we can decide on treatment?
  • Will treatment affect my ability to have children?
  • What is my prognosis (outlook), based on what you know about my cancer?

Talking about treatment

  • Do I need to see any other doctors or health professionals?
  • Who will be on my treatment team, and what will they do?
  • Are there clinical trials we should consider? How can we find out more about them?
  • Should I get a second opinion? How do I do that? Can you recommend a doctor or cancer center?
  • If I’m concerned about costs and insurance coverage for my diagnosis and treatment, who can help me?

side by side logos for American Cancer Society and American Society of Clinical Oncology

Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Adams TS, Maluleke JC, Cuello MA. Cancer of the vagina: 2025 update. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2025;171 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):48-59.

Expert Panel on GYN and OB Imaging, Kilcoyne A, Gottumukkala RV, et al. ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Staging and Follow-up of Primary Vaginal Cancer. J Am Coll Radiol. 2021;18(11S):S442-S455.

Indraccolo U, Favilli A. The Progression of Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasia to Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2026;35(8):781-789.

Jhingran A, Russell AH, Seiden MV, et al. Chapter 84: Cancers of the Cervix, Vulva, and Vagina. In: Neiderhuber JE, Armitage JO, Doroshow JH, Kastan MB, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff’s Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA. Elsevier; 2020.

Karam A, Berek JS, Kidd EA. Vaginal Cancer. UpToDate. 2026. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vaginal-cancer on September 8, 2026.

Marcus JZ, Nelson E, Linder M, Chelmow DP. ASCCP Clinical Consensus: Screening Recommendations for Clear Cell Adenocarcinomas in People Exposed to DES In Utero. Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease. 2024;28(4):351-355. 

Last Revised: October 23, 2026

American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.

American Cancer Society Emails

Sign up to stay up-to-date with news, valuable information, and ways to get involved with the American Cancer Society.

Sign Up for Email