Surgical management of stage I and II vulvar cancer: the role of the sentinel node biopsy. Review of literature.

Recognition of the psychosexual consequences of radical vulvectomy and better understanding of the lymphatic drainage and histopathologic features of vulvar cancer have led to a more conservative surgical approach, especially in patients with early-stage disease. Every patient with early vulvar cancer should be managed individually and the risk of conservative therapy balanced against the dangers and advantages of more radical therapy. The results of the sentinel node (SN) procedure in early cancer of the vulva are encouraging, and it might be possible in the near future to avoid the morbidity of inguino-femoral lymphadenectomy. This article reviews surgical management of early vulvar cancer and the place of SN biopsy.