Several factors are considered in choosing the most appropriate way to manage vaginal cancer, including the cell type, stage, size, location of the lesion , presence or absence of the uterus and whether the woman has had previous radiation to the pelvis.
Early carcinomas are generally treated with either surgery or radiation therapy—external radiation and one or two insertions of radioactive cesium placed against the cancer (intracavitary) or radioactive iridium placed directly into the cancer (interstitial radiation). The total dose of 4,000 to 5,000 cGy is given in divided doses to the pelvis five days a week for five weeks.
Advanced cancers are treated with radiation therapy alone or with the simultaneous administration of combination chemotherapy .
