These include increasing age, being exposed to human papillomavirus (HPV, smoking, having a weakened immune system, having a history of precancerous conditions of the vulva or having a skin condition involving the vulva.
NHS Inform says the main treatment for vulval cancer is surgery to remove the cancerous tissue from the vulva and any lymph nodes containing cancerous cells.
It notes: “Some people may also have radiotherapy (where radiation is used to destroy cancer cells) or chemotherapy (where medication is used to kill cancer cells), or both.
“Radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be used without surgery if you’re not well enough to have an operation, or if the cancer has spread and it isn’t possible to remove it all.”