Hi there,
I'm new to this site, but my Mom was treated for vulvar cancer 8 years ago, it first appeared as a sore on her vulva area about the size of a quarter. They took her in for surgery and removed the cancer and her lymph nodes, she had problems afterwards walking around but soon had radiotherpy and healed. She went back for check ups and was given the all clear and cancer free within 5 years.
In the 6th year she found a small cyst and went to the doctors again, she was told that the Vulvar cancer had returned in a different form. She was in a stage 3 type. Again they did surgery and basically she has nothing down their anymore. They did plastic surgery to her wounds as the previous surgery had left no room for skin graphs. Her plastic surgery didn't take so she was left with open wounds. This surgery was done in Feburary and she is still in her bed still has open wounds and within the last 6 months the cancer has returned. They couldn't do Radiotherapy again because you can't do that twice in the same area. She can't have chemo because she isn't healed. Daily she has nurses coming to her house to pack the open wounds with gauze. The tumor was 14cm in length and the shape of a sausage. They removed it all in surgery, but were concerned that the tumor was attached to the pelvis bone, they took scrapings and these came back cancerous.
We are now in September and she still hasn't had any further treatment because she isn't healed. She now has to go into hospital again for emergancy blood transfusions because she is too weak to walk. We don't know how far the tumor has grown yet in these past 6 months. I guess we are lucky as my Mom lives in England and they don't have to pay for surgery or medicine etc... i live in Canada and can't be with her as much as i would like.
I'm scared for her.. she is only 63 and has had to endure alot these last 8 months. She tries to be up beat as to not worry me, but i'm very concerned. I won't know how much the cancer has spread now until Thursday - so am in limbo right now.
I wanted to come onto a site that details and discusses vulvar cancer as many cancer sites don't. It's so rare but this is my Mom's 4th reoccurrance.
So i guess my message to you all is:- Please once you've been given the all clear, please take time to check yourself out, and make sure you go to the gyno every 3-4 months. I'm already being checked by my Doctor and he has suggested that it isn't heridatary but i'm not taking that chance.
My thoughts and pray's go out to all of you!
Julie