Radiation therapy in carcinoma of the vulva

Sixteen patients who had malignant lesions of the vulva and were treated at Cook County Hospital from July 1957 to June 1976 are presented. Nine patients received irradiation as a primary treatment, four received preoperative irradiation, and three received postoperative irradiation. External irradiation was employed for all patients, and tele-cobalt or tele-cesium therapy was utilized to deliver 3000 to 6000 rad to the vulvar and/or inguinal area. The number of patients in this study is small; however, the response to radiation therapy was remarkable in all patients. There was no residual cancer in vulvectomy specimens of four patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma who received 3000--4200 rad external irradiation prior to surgery. This study suggests that further investigation of radiation therapy in the management of vulvar cancer seems justified.