title: Impact of radical operative treatment on the quality of life in women with vulvar cancer--a retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For patients undergoing vulva surgery the quality of life (QoL) is generally accepted as an important outcome parameter in addition to long-term survival, mortality and complication rates. Less radical operative treatment can reduce morbidity and thereby improve quality of life. This study focuses on outcome in terms of QoL in patients comparing wide local excision (WLE) with radical vulvectomy and waiver of lymphonodectomy (LNE) with inguinofemoral lymphonodectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective single-center study from 2000 to 2010, 199 patients underwent surgery for vulvar cancer. To assess QoL, the EORTC QLQ-C30 and a tumor-specific module questionnaire were sent to all patients in the follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women who underwent WLE have a superior QoL with regard to global health status and physical, role, emotional and cognitive functioning than those who underwent radical vulvectomy. Less radical surgery also implies less fatigue, nausea/vomiting, pain, insomnia, appetite loss, diarrhea and financial difficulties. After radical vulvectomy 89% of patients have sexual complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radical operative treatment, such as radical vulvectomy, causes deterioration in the QoL of these patients. An individualized, less radical surgery must be the aim in the treatment of vulvar cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Str. 3, House 24, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.affiliation: Reference Center for Quality of Life, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Str. 3, House 18, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Malchow
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Str. 3, House 24, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Str. 3, House 24, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andresen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Informatics and Statistics, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Brunswiker Str. 10, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jochens
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Str. 3, House 24, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jonat
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Str. 3, House 24, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mundhenke
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Str. 3, House 24, 24105 Kiel, Germany. Electronic address: ibrahim.alkatout@uksh.de.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alkatout
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Disease free survival; EORTC QLQ-C30; Lymphonodectomy; Overall survival; Quality of life; Radical vulvectomy; Vulvar cancer