[Pronostic factors in squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva. About 35 cases]

To evaluate the pronostic factors of the vulvar cancer.

This is a retrospective study, of 35 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva diagnosed and treated at Farhat Hached Hospital (Sousse) between January 1991 and December 2002. The study of the pronostic factors is based on analysis of the following parameters obtained after a period varyinf from 6 months to 5 years: clinical data, pre-therapeutique and therapeutic evaluation, pathologic data, outcome and survival rate.

The diagnostic was often late with a delay for consultation superior to 6 months in 60% of cases. 80% of the patient wete in stages III and IV of FIGO with an average tumorous size of 3.8 cm and palpable lymph node in 74.2% of the cases. 22 patient underwent vulvectomy with bilateral inguinal node dissection. Adjuvant therapy was carried out in 8 cases. The rate of relapses was 22.7%. The global survival at 5 years of the operated patients was of 40%. The main prognostic factors were: the size tumorale, the degrees of stromal invasion and the lymph node invasion.

Early detection fo vulvar concer by regular gynecologic examinations and a biopsy of all suspect lesions, allows an early treatment consequently a better prognosis.