Vulvar Cancer Treatment in Ahmedabad

Tap any section to jump:

• 🔍 Could my itching be cancer?
• 🩹 Often-missed signs — when to ask for a biopsy
• 📖 What vulvar cancer is, in words you’d actually use
• ⚠️ Lichen sclerosus and cancer risk
• ❓ Can vulvar cancer be cured?
• 🪡 Wide excision vs radical vulvectomy
• 🦵 Sentinel node vs full groin dissection
• ❤️ Will treatment affect my sex life?
• ✈️ Sending reports before travelling
• 💰 Cost in Ahmedabad
• 🏥 Recovery, leg swelling, daily life
• 💬 FAQ — 10 questions women ask most

The honest answer is — usually not. Most vulvar itching is caused by a yeast infection, a skin condition like lichen sclerosus, or simply dry skin. But vulvar cancer often starts as itching. So if your itching has been going on for a long time, it is worth getting it checked properly.

You should see a women’s cancer specialist if:

• Itching has lasted more than 6 weeks despite creams
• The itch is in one specific spot, not all over
• You can feel a small lump, raised area, or rough patch
• You see a white, red, or dark patch of skin
• You have bleeding from the vulva that is not from your period
• You have a sore that has not healed in 3 weeks

If any of these sound like you, book an appointment for an in-clinic examination. A 5-minute biopsy under local anaesthesia can give a clear answer.

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Vulvar cancer is rare, so it is not always the first thing a doctor thinks of. Early vulvar cancer looks very similar to thrush, eczema, or lichen sclerosus. Many women try treatment for these common conditions first — and most of the time, that works.

But if creams are not helping, the right next step is a small tissue test (called a biopsy).

It is reasonable to ask for a biopsy if:

1. You have tried 2 or more creams and the symptom is still there
2. The lump, patch, or sore has been there for 8 weeks or longer
3. You have a known skin condition like lichen sclerosus and you notice a new lump or change
4. Your symptoms keep coming back after each course of treatment

A biopsy is quick — about 5 minutes — under local anaesthesia in the clinic. You go home the same day.

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The vulva is the outer part of the female genital area. Vulvar cancer means cancer cells have started growing somewhere on this outer skin or tissue.

There are two main ways vulvar cancer develops:

1. The HPV pathway (mostly in younger women) — caused by the human papilloma virus, the same virus linked to cervical cancer. This pathway often goes through a pre-cancer stage called VIN (vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia) before becoming cancer.

2. The lichen sclerosus pathway (mostly in women over 60) — linked to a long-standing skin condition called lichen sclerosus that causes itching and skin changes.

Knowing which pathway applies to you helps your specialist plan the right treatment and the right follow-up.

The most common signs are:

• Itching in one area that does not go away
• A lump or raised area you can feel
• A sore or ulcer that does not heal
• A white, red, or dark patch of skin
• Bleeding from the vulva that is not your period
• Pain or burning when passing urine or during sex
• Thickened skin that feels different from the rest

You may have one of these — or you may have several. Each of them has many possible causes, and cancer is only one of them. But if a symptom has lasted more than a few weeks, it is worth being seen.

Lichen sclerosus is a long-term skin condition of the vulva. It causes itching, white patches, and thin, fragile skin. Most women with lichen sclerosus never develop cancer. But the lifetime risk of vulvar cancer for women with lichen sclerosus is around 4–5% — higher than the general population.

If you have been diagnosed with lichen sclerosus, you should:

• Use your prescribed cream regularly, not only when symptoms flare
• See a doctor once a year for an examination
• Watch for new lumps, hard patches, or sores that do not heal

If anything new appears, ask for a biopsy. A women’s cancer specialist can also do this in clinic.

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Most vulvar symptoms can be looked after by your gynaecologist or skin doctor. But you should see a women’s cancer specialist if:

• A biopsy has shown VIN, cancer, or “suspicious cells”
• A lump or sore has not gone away with treatment after 8 weeks
• You have lichen sclerosus and a new lump appears
• You have already had vulvar cancer before
• You have been told the area looks suspicious but no biopsy has been done

A women’s cancer specialist is trained specifically in cancers of the female reproductive system. This matters because vulvar cancer surgery decisions are very personal — and small surgery vs large surgery makes a big difference to your life afterwards.

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In most cases, yes — especially when it is found early. The honest picture,:

Your own outlook depends on the size of the cancer, where exactly it is, whether your groin lymph nodes are involved, and your general health. The single most important factor is finding it early — which is why a biopsy for unexplained symptoms is so important.

Specific guidance for your case is given during your consultation, once the specialist has reviewed your reports together with you.

This is the question most patients want answered first. The honest answer: most early-stage vulvar cancers do not need radical (large) surgery.

There are two main types of vulvar cancer surgery:

Wide Local Excision

• Removes only the cancer plus a small margin of healthy tissue around it
• The rest of the vulva is kept intact
• Stitches dissolve on their own
• Most women go home in 1–2 days
• Suitable for most stage 1 and many stage 2 cancers

Radical Vulvectomy

• Removes a much larger area of the vulva
• May involve removing part or all of the labia, clitoris, or surrounding tissue
• Stay in hospital is longer — usually 1–2 weeks
• Sometimes a small reconstruction is done to rebuild the area
• Needed when the cancer is large, deep, or in multiple areas

What decides which surgery you need:

• The size of the cancer
• The depth it has grown into the tissue
• Where exactly it is (near the clitoris or urethra is harder)
• Whether the lymph nodes in the groin look involved on scans

Which surgery is right for your cancer is explained during your consultation. The specialist’s commitment is to recommend the smallest surgery that safely treats the cancer. If you are unsure, an in-clinic second opinion is welcomed.

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Vulvar cancer can spread to the lymph nodes in your groin. Your surgeon needs to know whether the cancer has reached them — but there are now two ways to check, with very different recovery experiences.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

• The surgeon checks only the first 1–2 lymph nodes the cancer would spread to
• A small dye and a tiny tracer are used to find these nodes
• Only those nodes are removed and tested
• Very low risk of long-term leg swelling (lymphoedema)
• Now the standard of care for early-stage vulvar cancer in trained centres

Full Groin Dissection

• All the lymph nodes in one or both groins are removed
• Used when sentinel nodes are positive, or when sentinel biopsy is not suitable
• Carries a high lifelong risk of leg swelling (around 30–50% of patients)
• Higher chance of wound healing problems

If you are eligible for sentinel biopsy, taking that option can protect you from a lifetime of leg swelling. Many patients are not told this option exists. Always ask your specialist which approach they plan to use and why.

This is a question almost every patient wants to ask but few feel comfortable asking out loud. The honest answer: it depends on the type of surgery — and there is more good news than most women expect.

After wide local excision

• Most women can return to a normal sex life within 6–8 weeks
• Sensation in the rest of the vulva is preserved
• The clitoris is almost always preserved
• Many women report little or no change

After radical vulvectomy

• Recovery is longer — usually 3–6 months before sex is comfortable
• If the clitoris is removed, sexual sensation will change
• The vagina itself is not removed, so intercourse remains possible
• Lubricants, hormone cream, and pelvic floor physiotherapy can help significantly
• A small reconstruction can be done at the same time as cancer surgery

After radiation

• The vagina can become drier and shorter — a vaginal dilator helps prevent this
• Hormone creams are usually safe and very helpful

This is discussed privately with you before your surgery, with as much detail as you want. Your partner is welcome to join the conversation if it helps. There is no question too personal to ask.

Many patients travel to Ahmedabad from across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh for women’s cancer care.

If you already have biopsy reports, MRI / CT reports, discharge summaries, or treatment records, our care team may request copies of these while helping coordinate your appointment. This helps the care team prepare for your consultation and guide you on the next administrative steps.

Records that are useful to bring (or share when the team requests them):

• Biopsy report (punch or excision biopsy)
• Pelvic MRI report — and the actual scan images if available
• CT chest / abdomen / pelvis report
• Any earlier dermatology or gynaecology notes (lichen sclerosus, VIN follow-up)
• A list of current medicines and allergies
• A short note about your symptoms and when they started

How the visit usually works:

1. Contact our care team to discuss what you need
2. Share your available records if the team requests them while coordinating your appointment
3. Attend your in-clinic specialist consultation — including the vulvar examination, with a female chaperone always present
4. You leave with a written treatment plan from the specialist

Vulvar examination is in person only — never by photograph.

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The diagnosis is made by biopsy — a tiny tissue sample from the affected area.

The biopsy itself:

• Takes about 5 minutes in the clinic
• Done under local anaesthesia (the area is numbed)
• A small punch tool takes a sample about the size of a pencil tip
• One or two stitches close the area — sometimes none are needed
• You go home the same day
• Results take 3–5 working days

If the biopsy confirms cancer, your specialist will arrange:

• Pelvic MRI to check how deep the cancer has grown and look at the lymph nodes
• CT scan of the chest and abdomen to check the rest of the body
• Blood tests to check your general fitness for surgery

This full set of tests takes about a week.

Staging tells your specialist how far the cancer has spread. The system used worldwide is called FIGO 2021.

Most vulvar cancers are diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 — which is the most treatable group.

Treatment is always personalised to your cancer’s size, location, your age, your general health, and your wishes.

Costs depend heavily on which surgery you need. A small wide local excision is significantly cheaper than a radical vulvectomy with bilateral groin dissection and reconstruction.

Rather than show a misleading range, we provide a personalised quote once we have reviewed your biopsy and scan reports. This is more accurate and avoids surprises.

To get an exact quote, please send on WhatsApp:

• Biopsy report (if done)
• MRI / CT report (if done)
• Your insurance details (if any)

You will receive a written quote, broken down into:

• Surgeon’s fee
• Hospital and OT charges
• Anaesthesia
• Lymph node procedure (sentinel or full dissection)
• Hospital stay
• Histopathology
• Follow-up visits included

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Vulvar cancer surgery is covered by most health insurance policies in India, including Mediclaim, ECHS, CGHS, and corporate group policies. Whether your specific surgery is covered, and how much, depends on your policy and your insurer’s approval.

We help you with:

• Pre-authorisation paperwork
• Cashless facility at Sterling Hospitals (subject to approval)
• Reimbursement documentation
• Letters from Dr. Nishtha to support medical necessity

Send a copy of your policy on WhatsApp and we will tell you what is likely to be covered.

After wide local excision:

• Hospital stay: 1–2 days
• Stitches dissolve on their own in 2–3 weeks
• Back to most daily activities in 2–3 weeks
• Most women return to work in 3–4 weeks

After radical vulvectomy:

• Hospital stay: 7–14 days
• Wound care needed at home for several weeks
• Back to most daily activities in 6–10 weeks
• Most women return to work in 2–3 months

Lymphoedema (leg swelling) prevention:

• If you had a full groin dissection, your leg can swell. Prevention matters more than treatment.
• Compression stockings from week 2
• Pelvic floor and leg physiotherapy from week 4
• Avoid heavy lifting on the first day after surgery
• Keep the leg elevated when resting in the first 6 weeks

If swelling appears, early physiotherapy can keep it well-controlled.

Yes — particularly so, given that one of the two pathways for vulvar cancer is driven by HPV. The HPV vaccine protects against the same virus types (HPV 16 and 18) that cause most cervical cancers AND most HPV-related vulvar cancers.

Recommended ages:

• Girls and boys aged 9–14: 2 doses
• Older teens and young adults up to 26: 3 doses
• Adults up to 45: can still benefit, talk to a doctor

The vaccine is widely available in India. Learn more on our HPV & Cervical Cancer Prevention page.

• ESGO-certified women’s cancer specialist
• 12+ years of vulvar surgery experience
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy trained — offers the leg-swelling-sparing option whenever eligible
• Vulva-preserving wide excision preferred wherever oncologically safe
• Reconstruction done in the same operation where needed
• Honest counsel — will not recommend bigger surgery than you actually need
• Second opinions always welcomed

Read Dr. Nishtha’s Full Profile →   Book Appointment

1. A private conversation about your symptoms and history (no examination yet)
2. A brief vulvar examination with a female chaperone always present — usually 3–5 minutes
3. A plain-English explanation of what was seen, what tests are needed, and what the likely options are
4. A written summary and quote by WhatsApp

First appointments take about 30–45 minutes. Family members are welcome.

• Sterling Hospitals, Gurukul Road, Ahmedabad — main centre
• KD Hospital, Vaishnodevi Circle — satellite OPD
• Welcare Hospital, Vadodara — satellite OPD

See locations and timings →

Whether you have months of unexplained vulvar itching, a recent biopsy mentioning VIN or vulvar cancer, or would like an in-clinic second opinion on a surgery plan — book an appointment with the clinic. The specialist will go through everything with you at your visit.

Dr. Nishtha sees patients at Sterling Hospitals (main centre), KD Hospital, and Welcare Hospital.

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You can also call the clinic on +91 76988 00333.