There is no way to know for sure if you will get or if you can prevent vaginal cancer. However, knowing your risks and ways you may prevent vaginal cancer can only give you a better chance for getting treatment.

Vaginal Cancer Risks

You may want to consider having genetic testing to find out if you have a genetic risk for developing cancer. If you do, you will want to discuss it with your doctor and a genetic counselor. A next step may be to get early and regular screening. If you experience certain symptoms, your doctor will likely suggest that you have diagnostic testing for vaginal cancer.

In addition, the following factors may increase the chance of your getting vaginal cancer:

• Any health condition that weakens your immune system (such as HIV, the virus that can lead to AIDS), making it hard for your body to fight off health problems
• Also having cervical cancer
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Smoking

Preventing Vaginal Cancer

Since vaginal cancer may be caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), having young girls—11 and 12 years old and even as young as nine years old—vaccinated for HPV is one way to prevent vaginal cancer. If teens and young women—13 to 26 year old—did not get the vaccine at a younger age, there is still time for the HPV vaccination.

Maintaining a healthy life style, is always a positive way to maintain your health.

Knowledge is empowering. Discover how vaginal cancer is diagnosed.