Primary melanoma of the female genital system: a report of 10 cases and review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Primary melanoma of the female genital system are extremely rare (2-3%).


METHODS
A retrospective review was undertaken of patients with primary melanoma of the female genital system treated from 1990-2003 at Rostock University Hospital, Germany. Different treatments (sentinel node biopsy, inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy, en bloc resection, adjuvant Interferon-alpha-therapy, adjuvant chemotherapy) are discussed. The complicated classification is reduced to a clinical path for daily use (UICC stage and invasion depth of Breslow, Clark's level and Chung's level).


RESULTS
We report on 10 patients, aged 26 to 76 years, with primary melanoma of the female genital tract. Seven women developed a vulvar melanoma and one woman a malignant melanoma of the cutaneous inguinal region, while another 2 women had an unusual primary location of the malignant melanoma, the cervico-vaginal region (n=1) and the left ovary (n = 1).


CONCLUSIONS
Initial surgical modality did not influence long-term survival, but affected disease-free survival significantly.
Jahnke
A
A
University of Rostock, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Doberaner Strasse 142, 18057 Rostock, Germany. antje.jahnke@gmx.de
Makovitzky
J
J
Briese
V
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D016898:Interferon-alpha