TY - JOUR
T1 - Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia and vulvar cancer
AU - Edwards, C. L.
AU - Tortolero-Luna, G.
AU - Linares, A. C.
AU - Malpica, A.
AU - Baker, V. V.
AU - Cook, E.
AU - Johnson, E.
AU - Mitchell, M. F.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2007 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - Vulvar carcinoma is a rare cancer. It is more frequent among older women, but the incidence is increasing among younger women. The incidence of VIN may be rising in younger women as well. Different factors have been associated with an increased risk for vulvar cancer (HPV, age, smoking, education, diet, genital infections, infrequent pelvic examinations, socioeconomic status, immunosuppressive diseases); however, conclusive epidemiologic evidence is lacking. More studies with larger sample sizes are needed to understand more fully the role of these and other as yet unknown factors in the etiology of vulvar cancer. At present, studies of the molecular risk assessment for VIN and vulvar cancer focus mostly on HPV. The treatments of VIN are painful, and the disease has a high risk of recurrence. The treatments for vulvar cancers are morbid, even though radical vulvectomy is being replaced by the less morbid wide local excision and unilateral groin lymph node dissection. Therefore, VIN and vulvar cancer benefit from early detection, and their morbidity is decreased by early treatment. Screening should be performed by the primary care practitioner and should focus on women with HPV; women who smoke; and women who have other preinvasive disease of the cervix, vagina, or perianal area. Chemoprevention and an HPV vaccine may eventually be promising, but no studies have yet been performed. Patients should be educated about performing vulvar self-examination, stopping smoking, being persistent about insisting on a biopsy if symptoms persist, and avoiding exposure to HPV.
AB - Vulvar carcinoma is a rare cancer. It is more frequent among older women, but the incidence is increasing among younger women. The incidence of VIN may be rising in younger women as well. Different factors have been associated with an increased risk for vulvar cancer (HPV, age, smoking, education, diet, genital infections, infrequent pelvic examinations, socioeconomic status, immunosuppressive diseases); however, conclusive epidemiologic evidence is lacking. More studies with larger sample sizes are needed to understand more fully the role of these and other as yet unknown factors in the etiology of vulvar cancer. At present, studies of the molecular risk assessment for VIN and vulvar cancer focus mostly on HPV. The treatments of VIN are painful, and the disease has a high risk of recurrence. The treatments for vulvar cancers are morbid, even though radical vulvectomy is being replaced by the less morbid wide local excision and unilateral groin lymph node dissection. Therefore, VIN and vulvar cancer benefit from early detection, and their morbidity is decreased by early treatment. Screening should be performed by the primary care practitioner and should focus on women with HPV; women who smoke; and women who have other preinvasive disease of the cervix, vagina, or perianal area. Chemoprevention and an HPV vaccine may eventually be promising, but no studies have yet been performed. Patients should be educated about performing vulvar self-examination, stopping smoking, being persistent about insisting on a biopsy if symptoms persist, and avoiding exposure to HPV.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0029990640&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0029990640&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Review article
C2 - 8784883
AN - SCOPUS:0029990640
SN - 0889-8545
VL - 23
SP - 295
EP - 324
JO - Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America
JF - Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America
IS - 2
ER -