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Review
. 2022 Oct 25;14(21):5217.
doi: 10.3390/cancers14215217.

Vulvar Malignant Melanoma: A Narrative Review

Giovanni Falcicchio  1 , Lorenzo Vinci  1 , Ettore Cicinelli  1 , Vera Loizzi  2 , Francesca Arezzo  3 , Erica Silvestris  3 , Leonardo Resta  4 , Gabriella Serio  4 , Gerardo Cazzato  4 , Marialuigia Mastronardi  1 , Michele Mongelli  1 , Marco Marinaccio  1 , Gennaro Cormio  3
Affiliations
Review

Vulvar Malignant Melanoma: A Narrative Review

Giovanni Falcicchio et al. Cancers (Basel). .

Abstract

Malignant melanoma is a fatal disease that affects all skin sites. Among these, vulvar melanoma (VM) is a rare gynecological condition that accounts for 5% of all vulvar neoplasms. VM primarily affects older Caucasian women and its relationship to sun exposure is undefined. Diagnosis is defined by biopsy but many clinical, dermatoscopic, and confocal microscopic features can guide doctors. The molecular profile is characterized by the KIT mutation, revealed by all of the technologies that are used (classical sequencing, next-generation sequencing, and immunohistochemical staining). BRAF and NRAS mutations are also common in VM. All of these mutations are possible therapeutic targets. Today, surgery remains the first treatment choice for primary VM. The role of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy is scarce and the treatment of relapses is widely debated.

Keywords: rare gynecological cancer; target treatment; vulvar melanoma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Research flow and article selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a–c) Lump lesion involving left labium and clitoridal area; (b) plane lesion involving lower third of right labium major; (d) nodular lesion involving the right labium major. Courtesy of Prof. G. Cormio.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Clinical features of VM.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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