title: Radical versus conservative surgery for vulvar carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The comparison of the radical and conservative surgical approaches for vulvar carcinoma in relation to the rate of recurrence and complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of invasive vulvar carcinoma cases were retrospectively reviewed in Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Gynecologic Oncology Division and Social Insurance Institution, Ankara Maternity Hospital, Gynecologic Oncology Department. Surgically treated cases with squamous histology were divided into radical vulvectomy and conservative procedures groups and were compared with respect to recurrence, complications, and disease-free survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred thirteen cases of invasive vulvar carcinoma cases were of squamous histopathology and 92 of these were surgically treated. The rate of local recurrence was lower in the radical vulvectomy group (25%) compared to conservative procedures groups (42.5%; p>0.05). The complication rates were comparable between the radical vulvectomy and conservative procedures groups (32.7% versus 35%, respectively; p>0.05). At the end of five years of the follow-up, the disease-free survival rates were 51.5% in radical vulvectomy group versus 35.7% in conservative procedures group (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rate of recurrence, complication, and disease-free survival are similar for the radical vulvectomy and the conservative procedures. Deciding the surgical strategy for vulvar carcinoma should depend on the experience of the surgeon for the short-term adequate results.
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpaşa School of Medicine, Gynecologic Oncology Division, Istanbul, Turkey. macitarvas@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arvas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Köse
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gezer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demirkiran
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tulunay
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kösebay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014844:Vulva / Q000601:surgery*; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*