Cancer of the vulva in South Israel. A clinico-pathologic study of 28 cases

From 1960 to 1987, 28 patients with vulvar cancer, accounting for 5.1% of all patients with female genital tract malignancies, were diagnosed. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common histologic type (82.1%). The mean age was 63.7% years (range: 33-79). The discovery of vulvar mass was the most common symptom (23 patients). The median duration of symptoms until medical assistance was 12 months. The most common site of the tumor was the labium majus. Most patients were at Stage II at the time of diagnosis. Of the patients, 20 were treated with radical vulvectomy and bilateral groin lymphadenectomy, two with simple vulvectomy, four with wide local excision, one with interstitial radiotherapy and one refused treatment. Lymph node involvement was found in four patients (20%). The cumulative actuarial five-year survival for all stages and for Stage I only, was 53.8% and 60%, respectively. The findings of the present study corroborate previously reported findings regarding vulvar cancer except survival rate which is in the present study significantly lower.