Role of radiation therapy in the treatment of advanced vulvar carcinoma.
To evaluate different methods of radiation therapy for advanced vulvar malignancy, a retrospective study was done on 33 patients treated with radiation between 1950 and 1979. Group I consisted of 18 patients treated with surgery and radiation and group II of 15 patients treated with radiation alone. The patients received several kinds of radiation therapy. Group I received radiotherapy because of local recurrence or positive lymph nodes found in the groin and/or pelvis; the overall survival in that group ranged from 3 months to 11 years. Group II received radiation only because of locally advanced disease and/or associated medical problems; the overall survival in that group ranged from 2 to 40 months. We concluded that megavoltage radiation minimized the local reaction and that better local control was obtained with a combination of photons and electrons and an interstitial implant. Postoperative radiation for positive lymph nodes prevented local recurrence but did not seem to improve survival.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001472:Bartholin's Glands; D001918:Brachytherapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery