Cancer risk
Even if you have already been treated for cancer, reducing your risk factors may lower the chance of your cancer coming back.
You might also want to talk to your family members about reducing their cancer risk.
What are risk factors?
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting cancer.
Having a risk factor doesn't mean you will definitely develop cancer but it means you are more likely to get it than someone without the risk factor. For example, people who smoke cigarettes are much more likely to get lung cancer than those who don’t.
Vaginal cancer risk factors
The cause of vaginal cancer is unknown. But there are some factors that may increase your risk of developing vaginal cancer. These risk factors include:
- age
- being infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV)
- having a precancerous condition called vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN)
- smoking
- previously having cervical cancer
- previous radiotherapy to the pelvic area
- having a weakened or suppressed immune system
- exposure to a drug called diethylstilboestrol.
Diethylstilboestrol (DES)
Diethylstilboestrol is a drug that was given to women during pregnancy to prevent miscarriages. It was used from the late 1930s to the early 1970s.
The daughters of women who took DES (called DES daughters) have a higher risk of developing vaginal cancer and some other illnesses.
Most DES daughters don’t develop vaginal cancer, but those that do generally get it at an early age, usually between the ages of 14 and 33 years.
Reducing your risk of vaginal cancer
Most vaginal cancers are caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection spread through direct intimate skin contact. Most people with HPV do not develop cancer and the infection goes away by itself. In a small number of people, the infection persists, and the person may develop a cancer over time.
Only certain types of HPV have been linked with cancer. HPV vaccination protects against some of these types of HPV and reduces the risk of vaginal cancer.
HPV vaccines are available in Australia and are currently offered to high school students as part of the National HPV Vaccination Program.