Complications and risk factors in vulvar cancer surgery - A population-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Primary surgery for vulvar cancer has become less radical in past decades. This study investigates risk factors and prevalence of short-and long-term complications after up-to-date vulvar cancer surgery. METHODS: Population-based cohort study of surgically treated primary vulvar cancer at a national center of vulvar cancer, assessing surgical outcome. The Swedish Quality Registry for Gynecological Cancer was used for identification, journals reviewed and surgical outcome including complications within 30 days and one year registered. Multivariable logistic regression analysis comprising risk factors of short-term complications; age>80 years, BMI, smoking, diabetes, lichen sclerosus and FIGO stage was performed. RESULTS: 182 patients were identified, whereas 55 had vulvar surgery only, 53 surgery including sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and 72 surgery including inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (IFL), with short-term complication rates of 21.8%, 39.6% and 54.2% respectively. Vulvar wound dehiscence was reported in 6.0% and infection in 13.7%. Complication rates were lower after SLNB than IFL (wound dehiscence 0% vs 8.3%; p = 0.04, infection 15.1% vs 36.1%; p = 0.01 and lymphocele 5.7% vs 9.7%; p = 0.52). Severe complications were rare. Persisting lymphedema evolved in 3.8% after SLNB and in 38.6% after IFL (p = 0.001), ubiquitous after adjuvant radiotherapy. In multivariable regression analysis, no associations between included risk factors and complications were found. CONCLUSION: Surgical complications are still common in vulvar cancer surgery and increase with the extent of groin surgery. To thrive for early diagnosis and to avoid IFL seem to be the most important factors in minimizing short-and long-term complications.

Accuracy of computerized tomography in the preoperative evaluation of metastases in primary vulvar cancer - A population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of a preoperative CT on surgical decision making in primary vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) and the accuracy of detecting inguinal lymph node metastases (LNM). Secondly to assess prevalence and consequences of incidental findings and comorbidity using a CT. METHODS: This population-based study comprised of surgically treated patients with primary VSCC, at a regional tertiary center, using the Swedish Quality Registry for Gynecological Cancer for identification, and medical records were reviewed. Results from the preoperative CT was compared with the histological analysis from the lymphadenectomy in the total cohort and between tumor size <4 cm versus ≥4 cm. RESULTS: In total 134 women had undergone CT before sentinel node (SN) biopsy (n = 83) or inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (IFL) (n = 51). Fiftyone patients (38%) had groin LNM. Accuracy of CT in detecting groin LNM was 76%; sensitivity 43% and specificity 96%. Positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were 88% and 73% respectively. In tumors <4 cm (n = 87), sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 17%, 95%, 57% and 75% and in tumors ≥4 cm (n = 47) 67%, 100%, 100% and 69% respectively. CT altered surgical method from SN biopsy to IFL in only two cases. Incidental findings led to extra follow-up resulting in a benign diagnosis in 22 patients and major important findings in five patients. CONCLUSION: In primary VSCC, a preoperative abdominal-inguinal CT is of limited value for surgical decision making. In tumors <4 cm, it may be omitted due to low diagnostic accuracy and disturbing incidental findings.