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Evidence summaries

Surgical Intervention for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Vulva

Radical local excision and ipsilateral lymph node dissection in lateral tumours may be effective for carcinoma of the vulva compared with more radical surgery. Level of evidence: "B"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 3 observational studies with a total of 347 subjects. According to these studies radical local excision is as safe as radical vulvectomy, an ipsilateral lymph node dissection is safe in patients with well-lateralized tumour, but superficial groin dissection is not as safe as full femoro-inguinal node dissection.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by imprecise results (few patients).

    References

    • Ansink A, van der Velden J, Collingwood M. Surgical interventions for early squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 1999;(4):CD002036 [Assessed as up-to-date: 9 March 2008].

Primary/Secondary Keywords