Carcinoma of the vulva in young women

To determine if young women with carcinoma of the vulva have a different risk factor history and outcome compared with older women.

We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 78 women treated at the Medical College of Georgia for squamous carcinoma of the vulva during 1979-1993. Women younger than 45 years were compared with those 45 and over for historic risk factors, treatment modality, and outcome.

Over the study interval, the average presenting age of these patients decreased from 69 to 55 years. Women under 45 were found to have a stronger history of condyloma (P < .001, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.69-87.96). There was no significant difference by age in the duration of symptoms before presentation, smoking history, or tumor size. Women 45 and over were more likely to have advanced-stage disease (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics [FIGO] stage III or IV) (P = .03, 95% CI 0.43-0.91). Treatment did not differ significantly with age. In a univariate analysis, advanced FIGO stage, presence of metastases, and tumor size were associated with shorter survival. There was no detected difference in survival for women in either age group.

There appears to be a trend in our patient population toward younger women presenting with squamous carcinoma of the vulva. Human papillomavirus infection appears to be more common in younger women with vulvar carcinoma. There may be a difference in the etiologies producing squamous carcinomas of the vulva. Education encouraging the early detection and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases might alter the rising incidence of this disease in younger women.