Malignant melanoma of the vulva

During the years 1969 to 1982, 16 patients with primary malignant melanoma of the vulva were entered into the Tumor Registry at the University of Miami Jackson Memorial Medical Center. The mean age was 55, with a range of 18 to 89 years. Treatment was primarily by radial vulvectomy with bilateral groin and pelvic node dissection. Survival was correlated to FIGO staging, Clark and Breslow classifications, and lymph node involvement. Survival correlated best to tumor thickness and Clark levels. Patients with Clark level 2 or less and less than 1.5 mm depth of penetration had the best prognosis. Lymph node involvement was present in 25% of the patients, and there were no survivors in this group. There were no instances of positive pelvic nodes when the groin nodes were negative, and routine pelvic lymphadenectomy is not recommended.