The consequences of inadequate surgical therapy may be a recurrent, incurable lesion. However, the consequences of curative surgery can be psychologically devastating as vulvar surgery can result in lifelong anatomic alterations. Sexual dysfunction is common because of loss of clitoris in some clinical situations and in general because of alteration in body image. Therefore, all therapy includes pretreatment counseling about sexual and physical function. Radiation may be used alone or before or after surgery.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
Drugs may be given by mouth, or they may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. Treatment by stage Treatment of cancer of the vulva depends on the stage of the disease, the type of disease, and the patient's age and overall condition. Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may have more side effects than are desired.