Causes of vulval cancer

Main causes of vulval cancer

It's not always known what causes vulval cancer.

But many vulval cancers are caused by an infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV).

You can get HPV from:

• any skin-to-skin contact of the genital area
• vaginal, anal or oral sex
• sharing sex toys

Some skin conditions that affect your vulva can also lead to vulval cancer. These include:

• abnormal changes in the skin cells of your vulva, called vulval intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN)
• lichen sclerosus
• lichen planus

Who is more likely to get vulval cancer

Vulval cancer mostly affects women over 65 years old, but you can get it at any age. Anyone with a vulva can get vulval cancer.

You might also be more likely to get vulval cancer if you:

• smoke
• have a weakened immune system, for example if you have a health condition such as HIV or you're having treatments that affect your immune system
• have had cervical cancer

How to lower your chance of getting vulval cancer

You cannot always prevent vulval cancer. But there are things you can do to lower your chances of getting it.

These include:

• getting treatment for any skin conditions that affect your vulva
• using condoms, which lower your chance of getting HPV – but they do not cover all the skin around your genitals so you're not fully protected
• quitting smoking – smoking can weaken your immune system and the chemicals in cigarettes can also cause cancer
• eating a balanced diet to help support your immune system

For younger people, HPV vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from vulval cancer.

All children aged 12 to 13 are offered the HPV vaccine. It helps protect against all cancers caused by HPV, as well as genital warts.