Clinico-Pathological Profile of Vulva Cancer in Southern Thailand: Analysis of 66 Cases
Jitti Hanprasertpong, MD*, Saibua Chichareon, MD*, Virach Wootipoom, MD*, Rakchai Buhachat, MD*, Sathana Tocharoenvanich, MD*, Alan Geater, PhD**
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla ** Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla
Objective : To evaluate the clinico-pathologic findings and treatment outcome of women with vulva cancer in
Southern Thailand.
Materials and Methods : The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 66 women who had been
treated with surgery from June 1984 to October 2003 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Prince of Songkla University.
Results : The patients’ age ranged from 30 to 87 years, mean 58.2 years. Two most common presentations were
vulva mass (89.4%) and pruritus (57.6%). Duration of symptoms at presentation ranged form 1 month to 5
years. Most cases were squamous cell carcinoma (82.0%). The distribution by FIGO surgical stage I, II, III
and IV was 9.1%, 47.0%, 34.8% and 9.1%, respectively. The most common complication was wound infection
(45.5%), followed by wound dehiscence, lymphosis and leg edema (each 15.2%). The 5-year survival (and
95% CI) for stages I, II, III and IV was 100%, 96% (76-99%), 94% (63-99%) and 60 (13-88%), respectively.
The 5-year survival for node-positive cases was 82% (54-94%) versus 100% for node-negative cases (p =
0.0003). Stage was a significant predictor of survival (p = 0.0142) and disease-free survival (p = 0.0112).
Conclusion : Stage and nodal involvement are predictors of survival, and stage is a predictor of disease-free
survival.
Keywords : Vulva cancer, Survival, Prognostic factors
