title: A multivariate analysis of clinical and morphological prognostic factors in squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.
abstract: Clinical and histological data of 168 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva were analyzed with respect to survival. 151 patients underwent surgery, 12 patients were treated with primary radiation and in 5 patients no treatment was performed. Follow-up lasted from at least 2 up to 22 years' posttreatment. In univariate analysis, the following factors were highly significant: presurgery lymph node status, tumor infiltration beyond the vulva, tumor grading, histological inguinal lymph node status, pre- and postsurgery tumor stage, depth of invasion and tumor diameter. In the multivariate analysis (Cox regression), the most powerful factors were shown to be histological inguinal lymph node status, tumor diameter and tumor grading. The multivariate logistic regression analysis worked out as main prognostic factors for metastases of inguinal lymph nodes: presurgery inguinal lymph node status, tumor size, depth of invasion and tumor grading. Based on these results, tumor biology seems to be the decisive factor concerning recurrence and survival. Therefore, we suggest a more conservative treatment of vulvar carcinoma. Patients with confined carcinoma to the vulva, with a tumor diameter up to 3 cm and without clinical suspected lymph nodes, should be treated by wide excision/partial vulvectomy with ipsilateral lymphadenectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tbingen, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smyczek-Gargya
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Volz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geppert
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dietl
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*