A case of vulvar epithelioid sarcoma (VES) in a 49-year-old female is
described. The disease originated from Bartholin's gland and was origi
nally diagnosed as vulvar squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was tre
ated by radical vulvectomy and bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy. Mul
tidrug chemotherapy using doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine,
and dacarbazin was started, but had to be abandoned because of cardiac
toxicity. Despite intensive treatment, the patient developed pulmonar
y metastatic disease and died after 8 months. The course of epithelioi
d sarcoma in this site seems to be more aggressive than in typical ext
remity locations and was consistent with other cases described in the
literature. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.