e17130 Background: Obesity is associated with worse patients’ survival in several cancer entities. Vulvar cancer as well as obesity show increasing incidence over the last years. The influence of obesity on prognosis of vulvar cancer patients is not clear. However, knowledge about this may have consequences on prevention, treatment, and follow-up. Methods: This is an analysis of the large AGO-CaRE-1 study. Patients suffering from squamous cell vulvar cancer (UICC stage IB and higher), treated in 29 cancer centers between 1998 and 2008, were categorized in a database, in order to analyze treatment patterns and prognostic factors in a retrospective setting. Results: In total, 849 patients with documented height and weight were divided into two groups depending on their body mass index (BMI, < 30 vs. ≥30 kg/m²). There was no difference in the baseline variables (age, tumor diameter, depth of infiltration, tumor stage, nodal invasion, tumor grade) between both groups (p > 0.05). However, we identified differences regarding ECOG status and preexistent comorbidities (cardiovascular, dementia) towards healthier patients with BMI < 30 kg/m². Treatment variables (R0 resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, continuation of adjuvant therapy) did not differ (p > 0.05). Patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m² underwent radical vulvectomy more often (61.1 % vs. 51.8%, p = 0.042). During follow-up, there was a higher recurrence rate in the group having a BMI ≥30 kg/m² (43.4%, vs. 28.3%, p < 0.01) due to an increased rate of local recurrences (33.3% vs. 18.5%, p < 0.01). The rate of groin and distant recurrences was similar between both groups (p > 0.05). Noteworthy, we observed a significantly shorter disease free survival (DSF) of the obese patients in univariate analysis (HR 1.362, 95%CI 1.093-1.696, p = 0.006). Even in multivariate Cox-regression analysis including age, ECOG, tumor stage, type of surgery, nodal invasion, tumor grade, and comorbidities patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m² had a significantly shorter DFS (HR 1.811, 95%CI 1.005-3.262, p = 0.048). Conclusions: In this first large study about the association between obesity and prognosis of vulvar cancer patients, we observed that a BMI ≥30kg/m² was associated with shorter DFS, mainly attributed to a higher risk for local recurrence.
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