A review of squamous cell vulvar cancers in Waikato region, New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell vulvar cancers (SCVC) are rare. Although management guidelines have recently been published, New Zealand studies presenting "real world" outcomes are limited.

METHODS: Retrospective single-centre review of SCVC diagnosed between 1 January 2000 and 31 August 2015. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were reviewed.

RESULTS: Among 47 cases reviewed, 38 were ethnically European and 9 Māori. Cases identified as Stage 1 (16), Stage 2 (5), Stage 3 (17), Stage 4 (9). For Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4, (16, 4, 17 and 6) were managed by local excision; (9, 1, 14 and 2) by node dissection and (2, 1, 3 and 5) by chemoradiotherapy respectively. Wound cellulitis (10) and lymphedema (8) were the commonest acute and late complication, respectively. Seven patients were treated with 5-Fluorouracil and Mitomycin, and four received weekly Cisplatin. Grade 3 toxicities seen in five cases treated with 5-Fluorouracil and Mitomycin versus none in the Cisplatin group. No local recurrences observed in patients treated with chemoradiation. Patients with Age Adjusted Charlson Comorbid Index Score (ACCIS) <5 had better overall survival (OS) compared to scores ≥5 (60% versus 41%) with 33 months median follow-up. Five-year OS and disease-free specific survival was 73% and 94% (Stage 1), 40% and 60% (Stage 2), 44% and 59% (Stage 3) and 29% (Stage 4) respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: We present "real world" outcomes of vulvar cancers in this older and comorbid population. Larger, prospective multi-centre studies are proposed.