Vaginal melanoma and the role of regional chemotherapy.
Vaginal melanoma is a rare cancer usually diagnosed as a locally advanced disease. Aggressive surgical management of the primary tumor and local-regional recurrences, combined with the use of adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy, improves disease-free interval and, perhaps, survival times. Techniques of regional chemotherapy allow the delivery of high doses of chemotherapy to the tumor bed, while minimizing systemic toxicities. These treatments can be used to decrease tumor size, render bulky tumors resectable, and decrease the need for radical procedures. Additionally, they may help eradicate clinically inapparent local-regional disease and have a favorable effect on survival times.
Department of Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112.
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D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010478:Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*