New funding will allow Birmingham researchers to better predict which genetic alterations increase the risk of vulval cancer.
Collaborators Dr Wayne Croft, Dr Richard Riley and Dr Jason Yap.
It is hoped this research by University of Birmingham academics will lead to better monitoring and reduced anxiety for those considered to be at risk.
Dr Jason Yap has been granted funding from the Eve Appeal’s Rare Gynae Cancer Fund to better understand a non-cancerous condition called Lichen sclerosus and its link with developing vulval cancer. Most women, and people with gynae organs, who have Lichen sclerosus do not go on to develop vulval cancer, only around 5%, but those with vulval cancer almost always have Lichen sclerosus. Currently, researchers do not understand why this is the case.
Dr Yap’s research plans to look into ways to predict which women with lichen sclerosus are likely to develop vulval cancer, so that more can be done to monitor them, manage their lichen sclerosus and reduce their cancer risk. It will also help those at lower risk by reducing anxiety that may be caused by more regular check-ups.
We are grateful to receive funding from The Eve Appeal, to fund this project on the under-researched area of vulval cancer. This funding will allow us to explore the critical link between Lichen sclerosus and vulval cancer. By understanding these early genetic changes, we hope to provide women with personalised care strategies and pave the way for future gene therapies that could stop cancer in its tracks. The support from The Eve Appeal is not just a boost to our research —it’s a step toward empowering women with the knowledge and tools to manage their health more effectively.
The research team will look at biopsies taken from women with lichen sclerosus and women with both lichen sclerosus and vulval cancer.
Vulval cancer is one of the rarer gynaecological cancers, affecting around 1,350 people each year in the UK. Lichen sclerosus is a condition where the skin is inflamed, it can be present anywhere but is most common on the vulva and around the anus.
The study was planned with a local group of women with vulval cancer and lichen sclerosus, who agreed that there was an unmet need in understanding the reasons why lichen sclerosus increases the risk of cancer.
NIHR funded Academic Clinical Lecturer
Staff profile for Dr Jason Yap, NIHR funded Academic Clinical Lecturer, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham.
