Abstract
We analyzed 46 patients with primary carcinoma of the vagina treated between 1969 and 1990. Median age of the patients was 67 years (range 33-89 years). Most (52%) of them were obese and 35% were nulliparous. Four (9%) had suffered from other gynecologic carcinoma and had been operated six to 23 years before the current carcinoma. Forty (87%) patients had squamous cell carcinoma. Stage 0 (carcinoma in situ) was found in three (7%) cases and stage I IV in 21 (54%), 10 (22%). four (9%) and eight (17%,) cases, respectively. Most (81%) of the patients were treated with radiotherapy (alone or in combination with other treatments): combination of brachytherapy and external radiotherapy were used in 45% of the cases. Surgery was used in all stage 0 cases and in 52% of stage I cases. Recurrence of the disease was found in 20 (43%) cases during the follow-up of 10 years. Most often (40%) site of the recurrence was the vagina. Both 5- and 10-year survival were 38%. Stage and extent of the tumor were independent prognostic factors in stepwise multivariate analysis.
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