Bay Biosciences provides high quality, clinical grade, fresh frozen tumor tissue bio-specimens, cryogenically preserved sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid samples from patients diagnosed with Vulvar Cancer.
The sera (serum), plasma and PBMC biofluid specimens are processed from patient’s peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols. The vulvar cancer fresh frozen tumor tissue samples and biofluids are collected from unique patients diagnosed with vulvar cancer and are provided to a valued pharmaceutical customer for research, diagnostics, discovery and drug development.
Detailed clinical data, chronic vulvar cancer patients history, symptoms, complete blood count (CBC), serology, chemotherapy information, fresh frozen tumor tissue, elevated biomarker levels, genetic and metabolic information, histopathological findings, annotations associated with vulvar cancer specimens is provided to a valued customer for research, development and drug discovery.
The vulvar cancer sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid are processed from patients peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.
The Vulva
The vulva is a woman’s external genitalia. It is made up of the skin and fatty tissue that surround the clitoris and the openings of the vagina and urethra. The fatty tissue makes up two folds on each side of the vaginal opening, called the labia majora and labia minora. Cancer of the vulva occurs most often in or on the labia. Less often, it can occur on the clitoris or in glands on the sides of the vaginal opening, called the Bartholin’s glands, which produce a mucus-like lubricating fluid.
Vulvar Cancer Overview
Cancer begins when healthy cells change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a tumor. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread.
Vulvar cancer is named for the type of tissue where the cancer started. The most common is squamous cell carcinoma. Other, less common vulvar cancers include adenocarcinoma, melanoma, sarcoma, and verrucous carcinoma.
- Squamous cell carcinoma: Squamous cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer that accounts for about 90% of vulvar cancers, most of which are found on the labia. Squamous cancer can develop through a “precancerous” condition, which is when changes in cells may, but do not always, become cancer. This is called vulva intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN). VIN is a premalignant growth of cells on the vulva and is treated differently from invasive cancer. Premalignant means that it is not yet cancer. Vulva intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) is further divided into two groups based on how the cells look under a microscope, called usual-type vulva intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) and differentiated vulva intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN). Usual-type vulva intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) usually appears in younger women and is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV).Differentiated vulva intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) is less common, usually appears in older women, and is not associated with human papillomavirus (HPV). Differentiated vulva intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) often arises in women who have a skin condition called lichen sclerosus, and this kind of vulva intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) can develop into a fast-moving, aggressive squamous cancer.
- Adenocarcinoma: Adenocarcinoma starts in the Bartholin’s glands or vulvar sweat glands. This type of cancer accounts for a small percentage of vulvar cancer. It is usually found on the sides of the vaginal opening.
- Melanoma: Melanoma is another type of skin cancer that accounts for about 2% to 4% of vulvar cancer. Melanomas are usually found on skin in parts of the body commonly exposed to the sun, but occasionally it can develop where there is no sun exposure. When it develops in the vulva, it occurs most often on the clitoris or the labia minora. Women with melanoma on other parts of their body have an increased risk of developing vulvar melanoma. Vulvar melanoma is often treated using similar approaches for the treatment of melanoma in other parts of the body.
- Sarcoma: Sarcoma is a tumor of the connective tissue beneath the skin.
- Verrucous carcinoma: This is a slow-growing subtype of squamous cell carcinoma that looks like a wart.
Signs and Symptoms of Vulvar Cancer
Women with vulvar cancer may experience the following signa and symptoms. Sometimes, women with vulvar cancer do not have any of these changes. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a different medical condition that is not cancer.
- A lump or growth in or on the vulvar area or groin (enlarged lymph node)
- A patch of skin that is differently textured or colored than the rest of the vulvar area
- Persistent itching, pain, soreness, or burning in the vulvar area
- Painful urination
- Bleeding or discharge that is not menstrual blood
- An ulcer that persists for more than one month
- A change in the appearance of an existing mole (this symptom is for vulvar melanoma specifically)
- Wart-like growths that are similar to genital warts
Risk Factors of Vulvar Cancer
Following are the risk factors which may increase a woman’s risk of developing vulvar cancer:
- HPV: Research indicates that infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is a risk factor for vulvar cancer. Human papillomavirus (HPV) may be responsible for about one-third to two-thirds of all vulvar cancers. Sexual activity with someone who has human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common way someone gets human papillomavirus (HPV). There are different types of human papillomavirus (HPV), called strains. Research links some human papillomavirus (HPV) strains more strongly with certain types of cancers. Many types of cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) are associated with precancerous conditions, which are changes in cells that may, but do not always, become cancer. There are vaccines available to protect you from some human papillomavirus (HPV) strains.
- Smoking: Smoking tobacco may increase a woman’s risk of developing vulvar cancer.
- Age: Most women diagnosed with vulvar cancer are older than 50. Only a small percentage of invasive vulvar cancer occurs in women younger than 40.
- Immune system deficiency: Women with lowered immune systems have a higher risk of developing vulvar cancer. A lowered immune system can be caused by immune suppression from corticosteroid medications, organ transplantation, treatment for other types of cancer, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). When a person has a lowered immune system, their body is more likely to develop infections, including an human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
- Precancerous conditions: Precancerous conditions of the vulva can increase a woman’s risk of developing vulvar cancer. These include vulva intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), Paget’s disease, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, or melanoma elsewhere on the body.
- Lichen sclerosus. This condition affects the vulvar skin, making it thin and itchy. About 4% of women with lichen sclerosus develop vulvar cancer.
Diagnosis of Vulvar Cancer
A physical examination, including a pelvic exam, is the first step in diagnosing vulvar cancer. In this examination, the doctor inspects the vulva and then feels the uterus, vagina, ovaries, bladder, and rectum to check for any unusual changes or growths.
In addition to a physical examination, the following tests may be used to diagnose vulvar cancer:
- Biopsy: A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. Other tests can suggest that cancer is present, but only a biopsy can make a definite diagnosis. The sample removed during the biopsy is analyzed by a pathologist. A pathologist is a doctor who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues, and organs to diagnose disease. The type of biopsy performed will depend on the location of the suspicious tissue. If the biopsy shows invasive vulvar cancer, the doctor will refer the woman to a gynecologic oncologist, who specializes in treating this type of cancer.
- Colposcopy: The doctor may do a colposcopy to check the vagina, vulva, and cervix for any abnormalities, especially when Pap or HPV tests return abnormal results. A colposcope is a special instrument, similar to a microscope, that magnifies the surface of the cervix, vagina, and vulva. The colposcope gives the doctor a lighted, magnified view of these areas. The colposcope is not inserted into the woman’s body. The examination is not painful, can be done in the doctor’s office, and has no side effects. This examination can also be performed on pregnant women.
- Chest x-ray: An x-ray is a way to create a picture of the structures inside of the body using a small amount of radiation. A chest x-ray would be used to see if cancer has spread to the lungs.
- Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan: A CT scan takes pictures of the inside of the body using x-rays taken from different angles. A computer combines these pictures into a detailed, 3-dimensional image that shows any abnormalities or tumors. A CT scan can be used to measure the tumor’s size. Sometimes, a special dye called a contrast medium is given before the scan to provide better detail on the image. This dye can be injected into a patient’s vein or given by mouth and swallowed, usually as a liquid.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) or PET-CT scan: A PET scan is usually combined with a CT scan, called a PET-CT scan. A PET scan is a way to create pictures of organs and tissues inside the body. A small amount of a radioactive sugar substance is injected into the patient’s body. This sugar substance is taken up by cells that use the most energy. Because cancer tends to use energy actively, it absorbs more of the radioactive substance. A scanner then detects this substance to produce images of the inside of the body.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI uses magnetic fields, not x-rays, to produce detailed images of the body. MRI can be used to measure the tumor’s size. A special dye called a contrast medium is given before the scan to create a clearer picture. This dye usually is injected into a patient’s vein.
- Endoscopy: An endoscopy allows the doctor to see inside the body with a thin, lighted, flexible tube called an endoscope. The woman may be sedated as the tube is inserted through the urethra into the bladder, called cystoscopy, or through the anus into the rectum, called proctoscopy or colonoscopy. Sedation is giving medication to become more relaxed, calm, or sleepy.
Bay Biosciences is a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens and human bio-fluid collections from cancer (tumor) tissue, cancer serum, cancer plasma cancer PBMC and human tissue samples from most other therapeutic areas and diseases.
Bay Biosciences maintains and manages it’s own bio-repository, human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and from normal healthy donors available in all formats and types. Our biobank procures and stores fully consented, deidentified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples and matched controls.
All our human human tissue collections, human specimens and human bio-fluids are provided with detailed samples associated patient’s clinical data. This critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers and genetic information. Patient’s data is extremely valuable for researchers and is used to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, other therapeutic areas and diseases. This clinical information is critical to demonstrate their impact, monitor the safety of medicines, testing & diagnostics, and generate new knowledge about the causes of disease and illness.
Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and biological samples including cryogenically preserved -80°C, fresh, fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, FFPE’s, tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood derived products such as serum, plasma and PBMC’s.
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Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) from diseased and normal healthy donors; including peripheral whole-blood, amniotic fluid, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL), sputum, pleural effusion, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum (sera), plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC’s), saliva, Buffy coat, urine, stool samples, aqueous humor, vitreous humor, kidney stones, renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, urolithiasis and other bodily fluids from most diseases including cancer. We can also procure most human bio-specimens and can do special collections and requests of human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples are procured through IRB approved clinical protocols and procedures.
In addition to the standard processing protocols Bay Biosciences can also provide human plasma, serum, PBMC bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols, you can buy donor specific sample collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquoting from us. Bay Biosciences also provides human samples from normal healthy donors, volunteers, for controls and clinical research, contact us Now.
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