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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough the exact cause of vulvar cancer isn't known, certain factors appear to increase your risk of the disease. These factors include:
- Age. About 50 percent of women with vulvar cancers are older than 70 when they're diagnosed. This cancer isn't limited to older women, however. As many as 15 percent of new cases occur in women younger than 40.
- HPV infection. This sexually transmitted disease is present in most younger women who have vulvar cancer. Having HPV, or using unsafe sex practices that put you at greater risk of HPV infection, increases your risk of vulvar cancer.
- Smoking. Smoking exposes you to cancer-causing chemicals that may increase your risk of vulvar cancer. Women with a history of genital warts or HPV have an even further increased risk of vulvar cancer if they smoke.
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This virus weakens the immune system, which may make you more susceptible to HPV infections, thereby increasing your risk of vulvar cancer.
- Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. Though most cases of this precancerous condition won't turn into vulvar cancer, the condition does increase your risk of vulvar cancer and should be monitored by your doctor.
- Lichen sclerosus. About 4 percent of women with this condition, which causes the vulva to become thin and itchy, later develop vulvar cancer.
- A history of melanoma or suspicious moles. If you have a family or personal history of this serious type of skin cancer anywhere on your body, or if you have a personal or family history of unusual moles, you're at increased risk of a vulvar melanoma.
