Paget disease of the vulva: a study of 56 cases

Abstract

Objective: To resolve controversial issues regarding vulvar Paget disease through analysis of a substantial number of cases.

Study design: The medical records and pathology slides of 56 patients with a diagnosis of vulvar Paget disease were reviewed. Possible correlation between clinical and pathological data was examined.

Results: Most patients were Caucasian and their mean age at diagnosis was 69 years. The average length of follow-up was 5.6 years. The most common symptom was pruritus, almost always accompanied by erythematous-white plaques. Substantial delay between appearance of symptoms and diagnosis was observed in many patients, and was significantly associated with larger lesions. Recurrence rate after surgical management was 32%, with disease involving the perineum being the only statistically significant risk factor. Patients with positive surgical margins had an increased recurrence rate, but this was not statistically significant. Intra-operative frozen section analysis of the margins as well as radical surgery as initial treatment did not reduce recurrence rate. In general, stromal invasion was not associated with worse prognosis, but the single patient who died of disease had the deepest stromal invasion. Radiation therapy given to five patients who either had multiple positive surgical margins or experienced disease recurrence and refused additional surgery resulted in complete response with no further recurrences. On the last day of follow-up 24 patients (43%) had no evidence of disease, 24 patients (43%) were dead of other causes, 5 patients (9%) were alive with disease, 2 patients (3%) were lost to follow-up, and 1 (2%) died due to vulvar Paget disease with invasive adenocarcinoma.

Conclusions: Vulvar Paget disease only rarely results in a patient's death, but long term follow-up is required, as recurrences are common and can be noted many years after the initial treatment.