Introducing "A Conversation on Vulvar Cancer", the third video of our Beyond the Stories video series, funded by Michael Smith Health Research BC.

This video features Dr. Lynn Hoang, an anatomical pathologist and Carly Allen, a GCI Patient Partner. Carly sheds some light on the vulvar cancer journey and her experiences navigating life after vulvar cancer treatment. She talks about being able to make a difference and share her story through her Instagram and blog called "Ostomate and the City". Dr. Hoang also shares some of the existing challenges in vulvar cancer care and research, highlight some areas of current research interest.

Thank you to Carly Allen and Dr. Lynn Hoang for making this video possible. Thank you to BC Women’s Health Foundation, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, BC Cancer Foundation and UBC Faculty of Medicine for supporting this project.

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What you can do today:

To decrease your risk of vulvar cancer:
- Get the HPV vaccine, as some forms of vulvar cancer are HPV related. If you are concerned that you have vulvar cancer: 1) Please ask for a referral to a Women's Health Clinic or a gynecologist 2)
Ask the provider you are seeing "Would a swab or a biopsy be appropriate?

If you have vulvar cancer:
- Ask your gynecologic oncologist: "Is my vulvar cancer HPV-related? And how does the HPV status of my vulvar cancer affect my treatment?"
- Less aggressive surgery has been shown to be more appropriate in HPV related vulvar cancers. - - More aggressive surgery is associated with improved survival in non-HPV related vulvar cancer.

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Learn more about Ostomate and the City:
Instagram:   / ostomate_and_the_city  
Blog: https://ostomateandthecity.com/

Learn more about the GCI: https://gynecancerinitiative.ca
Learn more about MSFHR: https://www.msfhr.org

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Twitter - https://bit.ly/3jsViHM (@GCI_Cluster)
Instagram - https://bit.ly/3dRQsCF (@gynecancerinitiative)
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