On 8/22/2009
Sweedee wrote:
Hello,
I have a flat brown/black area about 1" diameter. It is irregular in shape. It doesn't hurt, bleed or cause any problems. It started out as a very small spot, about a 1cm, about a year and a half ago. It looks very simaler to #11 in this photo http://www.freewebs.com/premonvandam/Skin%20Cancer.jpg
It is located about an 2" down from the top of my hair line on my vulva. (Think about where an horizontal c-section scar would be and move 2" downward) I'm confused because of the area it's in and it really doesn't look like any of the vulvar cancer I've seen. It looks like skin cancer but that area has never got exposed to the sun.
I know I have an Hpv Virus, not sure which type I have but I have only
had 2 small warts come up at different times in my life and my doctor
used acid to remove them. I have been in a monogamous realationship for
over 20 years(I'm 38) and I havn't had any problems since my early
twenties when about twice I was diagnosed with dsypalsia and had a leep
& colpoloscomy<sp?>and then tested neg. every year since.
Can anyone offer some insight to what type of cancer it could be or better yet ease my mind and tell me there's nothing to worry about?
Please don't just tell me to see my GP. He's been my doctor for over 10 years and I would just be extremly uncomfortable with him looking at that area. With my insurance I can go straight to a specialist. But what kind do I choose? I lost my gyno and havn't found a new one yet so it's been about a year an a half since I've been for pap. Should I just go straight to a gyno oncoligist, a reg. oncoligist or what? I'm really confused and worried and with everything else going on in my life I havn't addressed it but I'm getting kinda scared not too.
My most biggest concern of all is that I only have a couple of months before I have weightloss surgery, another life saving procedure for me since I have many co-morbidties included diabetes and sleep apnea and I'm worried if I get this thing checked out before I have that either the ins. company or my surgeon may stall that surgery and I can't take that risk.
-Sweedee
My dear, the only one who can ease your mind is a gynecologist. Please get to a doctor, it probably is not anything serious, but the longer you wait, the greater the chance that it could develope into something more serious becomes greater.
Your history with HPV could possibly contribute to a number of vulvar conditions that are not cancer, but serious enough to address.Even in a monogamous relationship, once you hve been diagnosed with HPV, it is always in your body, it can recede, but also can flare up again.
I would recommend that you ask your GP for a referral to a gynecologist, he/she can do a biopsy and tell what the problem is. PLEASE do not be embarrassed, I have had vulvar cancer, and I decided to get over the embarrassment ...mostly to educate women about their bodies. I am 56 and never knew anything about the vulva or the many issues a woman can have with it, so I beg you, please find a doctor to assess your issues.
Skin cancer that is squamous can appear anywhere on your body...whether it gets sun or not, melanoma is the type skin cancer that is directly related to sun exposure, and I believe it does not affect the vulva.
I wish you the best, but please take charge of this now, you are too young to let this cause a bigger problem for you.