Can radiotherapy be a treatment option for elderly women with invasive vulvar carcinoma without radical surgery?

Abstract

Purpose of the investigation: To evaluate the impact of radiotherapy after limited surgery in vulvar carcinoma.

Methods: Between March 1980 and January 2000, 22 patients older than 60 years and suffering from invasive vulvar carcinoma were treated with limited surgery and radiotherapy at Gülhane Military Medicine Academy. These are the subjects of this review.

Results: The median age of the patients was 67 (range 60 to 78 years). Median follow-up was 35 months (range 12 to 60 months). Local recurrence rate was 18%. Median time to local failure was 12 months (range 8 to 14 months). Two patients with local failure also developed lung metastases. Five-year survival rate was 60% and cause-specific survival rate was 69%. No treatment delay or death related to treatment was observed.

Conclusions: Radiotherapy and conservative surgery can be an alternative to radical surgery with less morbidity in elderly patients.