Clinico-pathological and biological prognostic variables in squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.
Several clinical-pathological parameters have been related to survival of patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva, whereas few studies have investigated the ability of biological variables to predict the clinical outcome of these patients. The present paper reviews the literature data on the prognostic relevance of lymph node-related parameters, primary tumor-related parameters, FIGO stage, blood variables, and tissue biological variables. Regarding these latter, the paper takes into account the analysis of DNA content, cell cycle-regulatory proteins, apoptosis-related proteins, epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR], and proteins that are involved in tumor invasiveness, metastasis and angiogenesis. At present, the lymph node status and FIGO stage according to the new 2009 classification system are the main predictors for vulvar squamous cell carcinoma, whereas biological variables do not have yet a clinical relevance and their role is still investigational.
Department of Procreative Medicine, Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Pisa, Italy. a.gadducci@obgyn.med.unipi.it
Angiolo
A
Gadducci
Roberta
R
Tana
Cecilia
C
Barsotti
Maria Elena
ME
Guerrieri
Andrea Riccardo
AR
Genazzani
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D014844:Vulva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors