Second primary cancer arising from the neovulva following reconstruction with myocutaneous flaps

Myocutaneous flaps have been used for vulvar reconstruction following radical vulvectomy. For over 15 years the most common complications related to these flaps are sloughing of the skin and donor site wound infection. A new malignancy arising from the skin of the neovulva is an unusual occurrence. Two cases are presented. The skin of the neovulva may be exposed to the same neoplastic carcinogens that caused the initial lesion. In both patients, the polymerase chain reaction method failed to detect the presence of human papillomavirus DNA in either the initial lesion or the recurrent cancer.