A comparative study of radical vulvectomy and modified radical vulvectomy for the treatment of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.

Forty-five patients who underwent a modified radical vulvectomy for invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva were compared with forty-five patients who underwent radical vulvectomy for similar lesions. Vulvar wound infection and breakdown were infrequent in both groups. Anal incontinence developed postoperatively in five of the modified radical vulvectomy patients and in none of the radical vulvectomy patients. Urinary incontinence developed postoperatively in two of the modified radical vulvectomy patients and in seven of the radical vulvectomy patients. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed. One invasive local recurrence (2.2%) developed in the modified radical vulvectomy group and two (4.4%) local recurrences developed in the radical vulvectomy group. A modified radical vulvectomy appears to be efficacious for the vulvar phase of treatment of localized invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.