Vulvar cancer in young women: demographic features and outcome evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to identify prognostic and environmental factors associated with vulvar carcinoma in young women.


METHODS
This study was a review of patients younger than 45 years who were diagnosed with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma between 1994 and 2006.


RESULTS
Fifty-six patients were identified. Median age was 38 years and median follow-up was 25.3 months. Fifty-eight percent of patients presented with stage I disease; 77% smoked tobacco. Of patients with advanced disease, 53.3% were smokers, 40% had human papillomavirus (HPV) exposure, 46.7% had a history of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), and 6.7% were immunocompromised. Symptoms were present for more than 12 months in 47%, but symptom duration did not correlate with stage (P = .42) or positive lymph nodes (P = .28). Disease recurred in 10.7% and 5.4% died of disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Young women with vulvar cancer tend to have early-stage disease, smoke, have a history of HPV, and have VIN. Many of the factors that place these patients at continuous risk are modifiable.
Lanneau
Grainger S
GS
Section of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
Argenta
Peter A
PA
Lanneau
Marion S
MS
Riffenburgh
Robert H
RH
Gold
Michael A
MA
McMeekin
D Scott
DS
Webster
Nancy
N
Judson
Patricia L
PL
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult