[Risk factors for groin lymph node involvement in patients with vulvar cancer].

OBJECTIVES

Morbidity of vulvar cancer surgery is predominantly related to groin lymph node dissection.

DESIGN

The aim of the study was to determine factors influencing the probability of groin lymph node metastases and to select a subgroup of patients in whom the risk of nodal involvement is low and nodal dissection can be omitted.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on the group of 123 patients who had undergone full inguino-femoral lymph node dissection as a part of their primary vulvar cancer treatment.

RESULTS

The risk of involvement of groin nodes was related to the clinical assessment of the stage of disease according to 1970 FIGO classification (p < 0.001), depth of stromal invasion (p = 0.004), primary tumour diameter (p = 0.009) and to the presence of pain in the vulva (p = 0.028). In multivariate analysis the probability of groin node infiltration was related to the diameter of primary tumour (p = 0.008) and depth of stromal invasion (p = 0.013).

CONCLUSION

The analysis allowed for division of vulvar cancer patients into subgroups of similar risk of lymph node involvement.