Vulvar Cancer at Srinagarind Hospital

Abstract

From January 1978 through September 1985, 23 cases of vulvar cancer were diagnosed and treated at Srinagarind Hospital. The patients’age varied from 25 to 78 years with the mean of 52 years. Most of them came from Khon Kaen area, others from different parts of the northeast. Number of deliveries ranged from 0-16 with the mean of 7.35. Itching of the vulva was the predominant symptom followed by ulceration, valvar mass, leucorrhea and leukoplakia. About forty percent of the patients were in stage 2, one-fourth were in stage 1, whereas stage 3 and 4 comprised about 30%. Most patients (52%) had the primary at the clitoris and both labia with fungating masses. Ninety percent were squamous cell carcinoma.

About 75% had been treated by radical vulvectomy with groin nodes and/or pelvic nodes dissection. The five-year survival rate for the whole series was 80.49%, for the surgical cases 92.86% and 0% for the non-surgical cases. The authors recommended radical vulvectomy with bilateral groin nodes dissection to be the first choice of treatment. Other adjuvant therapy should be considered for each special category.