RADIOCHEMOTHERAPY OF VULVAR CANCER

Surgery alone, more or less demolitive, is the treatment of choice of vulvar cancers. Cure rates are high for early cancers only, while loca lly advanced tumors with or without inguinal adenopathies and recurren ces have a bad prognosis. the excellent results of concurrent chemo-ra diotherapy of anal cancers suggested to adopt the same approach for lo cally advanced vulvar cancers. The shrinkage of the tumor allowed surg ery, often less demolitive than usual, and the pathological examinatio n demonstrated an overall complete response in 40% of cases. Survival has been improved through this multidisciplinary approach. Patients no t suitable for surgery obtained important remissions and an improved q uality of life. Clinical experience at the Istituto Tumori of Milano i s presented.