Cancer is a scary word and a scarier disease. Its diagnosis and treatment are more difficult. Aside from the fact that the radiation to cure cancer can aggravate it, chemotherapy is no walk in the park. One such rare cancer is Vulval Cancer.
An undiagnosed cancer is far worse than a diagnosed one. Women in the medical field are ignored a lot, and all their ailments get connected to their weight or periods. However, Teresa got lucky.
In a courageous and enlightening tale, Teresa brings attention to vulval cancer. It is a kind of cancer that is rarely discussed. It is among the rare cancers, and organ location makes women uncomfortable to talk about it.
Her story reminds us of the value of paying attention to our bodies. It also pleads for more understanding of the subtle symptoms that are far too frequently disregarded or misinterpreted.
The first symptom Teresa saw was a little, painless bump on her vulva. She initially ignored it. She believed it might be an ingrown hair or something harmless. However, even after a month the itching and lump remained. Then she decided to consult her gynecologist.
Her worries were initially dismissed, as usual. However, she pushed for a closer examination, and her persistence paid off. She was correctly diagnosed with Vulval Cancer.
There are 5 Gynae cancers!
Not 3 or even 4 as #vulval and #vaginal are 2 separate cancers and should be classed as that.
Also they are not “and more “or “others”
20 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer a day and vulval cancer is 3 so not a great difference is it? pic.twitter.com/vMlG4EHvI9
— Vulval Cancer UK Awareness (@VulvalCancerUK) June 13, 2020
As mentioned earlier, it is a rare kind of cancer. Even if it is uncommon, it is a cancer. It has a severe impact on women’s bodies and health, especially when detected late. Teresa’s experience makes one thing very clear- follow your gut. If there is still doubt, always go for a second opinion.
Vulval cancer appears on the outside of the female genitalia. It’s simple to ignore symptoms . Some might also mistake them for those of less serious diseases. Most of these symptoms are similar to most common yeast infections. Lumps on vulva are also common due to ingrown hair.
These conditions are common among women who get bikini wax or shave. Since these practices are common, almost all women get these two conditions.
Vulval cancer is one of the least talked about gynaecological cancers
Here are the symptoms you should be aware of, hope this is useful x pic.twitter.com/yNSvCvpltI
— Dr Amir Khan GP (@DrAmirKhanGP) October 12, 2022
The symptoms include lumps or growths, open sores or ulcers, skin color or thickness changes, and continuous itching, pain, or soreness. Teresa only had a bump that persisted; there was no pain.
Teresa had two surgeries, radiation treatment, and chemotherapy after confirming her diagnosis. She calls her cancer battle trip emotionally and physically taxing. However, she emerged from it and resolved to share her experience to inform others.
She wants to help other women see early warning signals. She also wishes that women don’t avoid symptoms or take them lightly. To encourage women to see their doctor, Teresa wanted to share her story..
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the main causes of vulval cancer. It is also linked to cervical cancer. Additional risk factors include a history of vulval intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), smoking, and age.
Everyone should be talking about this!!!! HPV causes cervical cancer, which is one of the leading causes of death among female cancer patients. So far, 29 people have been cured. Huge step for cancer treatments worldwide! Go Mexico!!! 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/FcEWeHP1Fp
— nada ☀️ (@nadabuntic) February 11, 2019
The majority of cases of Vulval cancer are diagnosed in older women. Women must get medical checkups. They should also think about getting the HPV vaccine. These can greatly lower the risk.
This story is a prime example of why sharing experiences is very important and how it raises awareness.
In conclusion, vulval cancer may be uncommon, it does exist. It can be fatal too. Don’t avoid any strange symptoms in your genital area, such as a bump or irritation. Early detection can save you.
