[Malignant neoplasms of the vulva (analysis of 113 patients)]

An analysis of 113 patients with malignant tumors of the vulva seen at The Gynecology Service, Oncology Unit, General Hospital of Mexico, is reported. Mean age the group was 65 years, 91.1% had epidermoid carcinomas and 74.3% were in stages III and IV. Seventy six patients of the overall group, (67.2%) received treament, 67 with surgery, (88.1%) and 9, (11.8%) with palliative radiotherapy. Fifty seven of these, (75.0%) had a follow up that was without evidence of disease from 1 to 10 years (mean 3 year) in 27 patients, (47.3%). Survival by clinical stages was: 1/1 for carcinoma in situ, 3/3 for stage I; 8/10, (80.0%) for stage II; 13/30, (48.3%) for stage III and 1/10. (10.0%) for stage IV. When radical procedures were performed, cancer free survival was: 8/14, (57.1%) for radical vulvectomies and inguinal lymph node dissection, 3/7, (42.8%) for radical vulvectomies combined with inguinal and pelvic lymph nodedissection and 1/6, (16.6%) for more radical procedures. Fifty five per cent of the radiated patients finished their treatment without evidence of cancer. The most important prognostic factors in this series were presence or abscence of lymph node metastases, (7/78, 38.8% vs. 10/10, 76.9%; p less than 0.05) and diameter of the primary lesion. Evolutioned without cancer, 9/12, (75.0%) patients with tumors of 5 cm. or less, versus 8/23, (34.7%) of the others, p less than 0.05.