Resection margins do not influence survival in vulvar cancer: treatment results in patients with a long-term follow-up

Abstract

Introduction. The main purpose of the study was to assess margin resection as a prognostic factor of vulvar cancer in patients with a long term follow-up. Materials and methods. The study included 84 vulvar cancer patients who underwent radical treatment: surgery (n = 84), radiotherapy (n = 16), chemoradiotherapy (n = 5). Clinicopathological factors regarding survival and recurrence were analyzed. The median follow-up was 74 months. Results. Resection margins were not related to progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.93) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.84). On the multivariate analysis, a maximum tumor size > 25 mm (p = 0.026) and inguinal lymph node involvement (p = 0.028) were factors increasing the risk of death. The risk of recurrence was related to tumor dimension > 25 mm (p = 0.011), but not to inguinal node metastasis (p = 0.086). Discussion. Inadequate surgical margin would be salvaged by adjuvant treatment. Conclusions. A maximum tumor dimension > 25 mm and metastases in the inguinal lymph nodes are independent prognostic factors for the survival of patients with vulvar cancer.