Vulval Cancer Treatment in Kolkata
Vulval cancer is often overlooked because its early signs — a persistent itch, lump or sore — are easy to dismiss. Dr. Dipanwita Banerjee brings prompt diagnosis, function-preserving surgery and reconstructive expertise together for women with this less common gynaecological cancer.
Whatever stage you are at — a persistent vulval symptom you haven't had checked, a diagnosed skin condition like lichen sclerosus, a confirmed diagnosis, or follow-up after treatment — find your situation below to see how Dr. Banerjee approaches it.
Understanding vulval cancer
Vulval cancer develops in the vulva — the external part of the female genitals, including the labia, clitoris and perineum. It is one of the less common gynaecological cancers, and its early signs are frequently mistaken for minor skin irritation, which can delay diagnosis. There are two broad pathways: an HPV-related pathway more common in younger women, and a pathway linked to lichen sclerosus or vulval intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), more common in older women.
Dr. Banerjee's practice covers the full pathway for vulval cancer: prompt biopsy of suspicious vulval skin changes, ongoing monitoring of pre-cancerous skin conditions, surgical treatment including reconstructive techniques, and coordination with radiation and medical oncology for more advanced disease.
Vulval cancer care, stage by stage
Because there is no routine screening test for vulval cancer, most women arrive at this page at a different point than a Pap smear pathway — a symptom they've noticed, a skin condition they're already managing, or a diagnosis they've just received. Dr. Banerjee's approach is shaped around wherever that starting point is.
Symptom Evaluation & Biopsy
Most vulval symptoms are benign — but because there is no screening test to catch changes early, any persistent vulval symptom deserves a prompt, direct look rather than a wait-and-see approach.
Clinical Examination
A focused examination of any itch, lump, ulcer, or thickened or discoloured patch of vulval skin that has not resolved within a few weeks.
Prompt Biopsy
A simple biopsy of the affected skin to confirm what the change is — the recommended next step for any lesion that does not settle on its own.
Ruling Out Benign Causes
Many vulval symptoms turn out to be benign skin conditions or infections; these are identified and treated directly, without unnecessary alarm.
Vulval Skin Condition & Pre-Cancer Monitoring
A lichen sclerosus or VIN diagnosis is not a cancer diagnosis. It is a chronic condition that modestly raises long-term risk — which is exactly why ongoing monitoring matters more than a one-off check.
Lichen Sclerosus Management
Ongoing treatment and monitoring for lichen sclerosus, aimed at controlling symptoms and catching any early progression.
VIN Surveillance
Regular follow-up for vulval intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), with biopsy of any area that changes in appearance during monitoring.
HPV-Related Risk in Younger Women
For younger women, evaluation of persistent HPV infection as a contributing factor, alongside the same monitoring principles.
Staging & Surgical Treatment
Once biopsy confirms cancer, treatment is planned around the size and stage of the tumour — with surgery as the primary approach and function preservation built into the plan from the start.
Wide Local Excision & Radical Vulvectomy
Surgical treatment tailored to the tumour — from wide local excision for smaller lesions to radical vulvectomy for more extensive disease.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy & Groin Dissection
Sentinel lymph node biopsy to check for spread to the groin nodes, with full groin lymph node dissection when sentinel or clinical findings indicate it.
Multidisciplinary Radiation & Chemotherapy
For locally advanced disease, close coordination with radiation and medical oncology colleagues to plan combined treatment.
Reconstruction, Follow-Up & Life After Treatment
Surgery for vulval cancer can affect appearance and function in a very personal part of the body — reconstructive planning and structured follow-up are treated as part of the treatment, not an afterthought.
Reconstructive & Function-Preserving Surgery
Reconstructive techniques used wherever possible to preserve vulval function and appearance, minimising the impact of surgery on quality of life.
Structured Follow-Up
A defined surveillance schedule after treatment to check for recurrence early, when it is most treatable.
Ongoing Skin Condition Follow-Up
For women with a background of lichen sclerosus or VIN, continued monitoring of the surrounding vulval skin alongside cancer follow-up.
Risk factors & vulval skin conditions
Vulval cancer follows two broad risk pathways. In younger women, persistent HPV infection is the key driver, similar to cervical cancer. In older women, it is more often linked to lichen sclerosus or vulval intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) — chronic vulval skin conditions unrelated to HPV.
Other contributing factors include smoking, a prior history of cervical or vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia, and increasing age. Women with diagnosed lichen sclerosus benefit from regular follow-up, since it modestly raises long-term risk.
Been told you need treatment for vulval cancer, and want it explained in plain words rather than clinical terms? The Patient Guide covers what to expect before, during and after treatment, and in the years afterward.
Vulval Cancer, answered directly
What are the early symptoms of vulval cancer?
Is vulval cancer related to HPV?
How is vulval cancer diagnosed?
What surgery is used to treat vulval cancer?
I have lichen sclerosus — does that mean I will get vulval cancer?
Who treats vulval cancer in Kolkata?
What patients say
I'm privileged to get you as a doctor & also honoured to have attached with you. I'm perfectly satisfied with her work as a Gynaecological Oncologist with your best efforts in my surgery along with all other tests & reports
Our family will always be grateful to Dr. Dipanwita Banerjee for guiding us through one of the most difficult phases of our lives. My mother was initially scheduled for a hysterectomy, but a D&C performed beforehand revealed malignancy. What we thought was a routine gynecological issue suddenly became a cancer diagnosis, leaving us overwhelmed and searching for the right specialist.
Related Reading
Your care journey, step by step
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"Committed to bringing the highest standard of gynaecological cancer care — with science, skill, and deep compassion — to every patient who trusts me with their care."