GROIN RADIATION VERSUS NO GROIN THERAPY F OR SMALL VULVAR CANCER WITHCLINICALLY NEGATIVE LYMPH-NODES (T1, N0-1)

Objective: The objective of this retrospective study was to determine if groin radiation was superior to no therapy in patients with small v ulvar cancer with not palpable or not suspicious inguinal lymph nodes (T1, N0-N1). Methods: From 1974 to 1990, 135 patients with invasive T1 , N0-1 vulvar cancer underwent radical vulvectomy with hot knife, groi n nodes were left in situ. In 65 patients vulvectomy was followed by i nguinofemoral irradiation; 70 patients had none. There were more cases with clitoris carcinoma (p < 0.04) in the group with groin irradiatio n but no other significant difference in prognostic factors was found. Results: The actuarial 5-year survival was 93.7% with groin irradiati on versus 92.4% without lymph node therapy. Inguinal relapses occurred in only 4.6% of cases with groin irradiation versus 10% without lymph node treatment (n.s.). Conclusions: Radiation therapy to the groin se ems to reduce groin relapses in early vulvar cancer.