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Below, week by week, is what OnCo's record of Vaginal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-associated) says about the first two months: the order is typical, the timing is yours to ask about. Vaginal squamous cell carcinoma is the commonest form of vaginal cancer, caused by the same HPV infection as cervical cancer and often following earlier cervical disease. It is treated much as cervical cancer is, with radiotherapy, brachytherapy and cisplatin for most stages and surgery only for small upper-vaginal tumours, and it is prevented by HPV vaccination and cervical screening. Sections appear only where the record has something to say. Orientation, not medical advice.
Staging tests establish exactly what and where the cancer is. Everything else follows from the answers.
Ask which of these were tested and what the results were; see the report reader for what each value means.
These specialties appear in the standard of care for this cancer. In most centres they meet weekly as a tumour board to agree each plan; you can ask when yours was discussed and what was decided.
A second opinion from a centre that treats many similar cases is normal, not rude; the standard of care tells you what to compare it against.
Each row is a setting from the standard of care, in the order it usually arises. Not all will apply to you; your stage and biomarkers decide which do. The guideline grade, where recorded, says how strong the evidence is.
Radical upper vaginectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy, or brachytherapy with or without external beam radiotherapy.
External beam radiotherapy to the pelvis (and groins for lower-third tumours) with concurrent weekly cisplatin, followed by brachytherapy, extrapolating from cervical cancer.
Laser ablation or excision; topical imiquimod or fluorouracil; brachytherapy for extensive vault disease; HPV vaccination and screening for prevention.
Carboplatin and paclitaxel with or without bevacizumab; pembrolizumab for PD-L1-positive tumours (KEYNOTE-826 extrapolated); pelvic exenteration for isolated central recurrence after radiotherapy.
Generated from this cancer's standard of care, biomarkers and open problems. Take the group that matches where you are. To tick, add your own and print, open the one-page appointment sheet.
Trials open now for this cancer in OnCo, largest phase first. Joining a trial is a decision like any other: ask what the comparison arm is, whether a placebo is used, and what happens if you leave. The cancer page searches ClinicalTrials.gov live for more.
Much of what helps in the first weeks is free if you know to ask: testing, helplines, rides and lodging, second opinions, trial travel.
Every term links to the glossary.