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Introduction: Based on their etiological relationship with human papillomavirus (HPV), the 2020 WHO classification has divided vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (VSCC) into two distinct types, HPV‐associated and HPV‐independent, and HPV‐independent tumours have recently been divided according to p53 status. Nevertheless, the clinical and prognostic significance of this classification has not been clearly established. We analysed the differential clinical, pathological, and behavioural characteristics of these three types of VSCC in a large series of patients. Methods and results: VSCC samples from patients who underwent primary surgery at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain, during a 47‐year period (January 1975 to January 2022) were analysed (n = 190). HPV detection, p16, and p53 immunohistochemical staining were evaluated. We also analysed recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and disease‐specific survival (DSS). Thirty‐three tumours (17.4%) were HPV‐associated and 157 (82.6%) HPV‐independent. Of these, 20 showed normal and 137 abnormal p53 expression. The two types of HPV‐independent tumours showed worse RFS in the multivariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.63; P = 0.023 for the HPV‐independent p53 normal VSCC and HR = 2.78; P = 0.028 for the HPV‐independent p53 abnormal VSCC). Although the differences were not significant, HPV‐independent VSCC had worse DSS than HPV‐associated VSCC. Although patients with HPV‐independent p53 normal tumours had worse RFS than patients with HPV‐independent p53 abnormal tumours, the DSS was better for the former group. Only advanced FIGO stage was associated with worse DSS in multivariate analysis (HR = 2.83; P = 0.010). Conclusion: The association of HPV and p53 status have prognostic implications, reinforcing a three‐tier molecular classification of VSCC (HPV‐associated VSCC, HPV‐independent VSCC with normal p53, HPV‐independent VSCC with abnormal p53). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare oncological outcomes and morbidity in patients with early-stage vulvar cancer with negative sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy vs negative inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (IFL).Material and Methods: Study with retrospectively collected data in patients with squamous cell vulvar carcinomas ≤ 4 cm without suspected inguinofemoral lymph node metastases. Only patients with negative nodes after histopathology procedure were followed. Patients who underwent only SLN were compared with patients who underwent IFL ± SLN to compare recurrences, survival rates and morbidity.Results: Ninety-three patients were eligible for follow up: 42 with negative SLN and 51 with negative IFL ± SLN. The median follow-up period was 60.4 months (range 6.7-160.7). The rate of isolated first groin recurrence was 4.8% in patients with negative SLN and 2.0% in patients with negative IFL ± SLN (P = 0.587) and the rates of first isolated local recurrence were 28.6% and 31.4%, respectively (P = 0.823). Only 1 patient (2.4%) in the group of negative SLN had distant recurrence. The disease-specific survival rate at 5 years was 83.3% in the negative SLN group and 92.2% in the negative IFL ± SLN group (P = 0.214). We observed a higher rate of wound breakdown and infection after IFL than SLN biopsy (17.6% vs 10.6%; P = 0.020) and lymphedema (33.3% vs 0%; P < 0.001).Conclusions: We report in the same population of patients with early-stage vulvar cancer that SLN biopsy does not have significantly higher rates of groin recurrences or lower survival rates compared with IFL. Moreover, the SLN procedure has less morbidity, which should encourage gynecologists to abandon IFL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inguinal lymphadenectomy, unilateral or bilateral, is widely used in cases of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma but has a high morbidity. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy may be used in the management of these patients. The aims of this study were firstly to determine the reliability of SLN biopsy in predicting regional lymph node status and secondly to apply this technique in the routine clinical setting. We prospectively studied 70 women with vulvar malignancies. The first 50 cases were of squamous vulvar cancer and were used to validate the SLN technique in this clinical setting (validation group). Once a satisfactory success rate had been achieved in the validation group, the SLN technique was applied to a further 20 patients with vulvar malignancies, i.e. squamous cell carcinoma ( n=12) and melanomas ( n=8) (application group). Dynamic and static images were acquired after the injection of 74–148 MBq of a colloidal albumin, and continued until SLN identification. Fifteen minutes before surgery, blue dye injection was administered in a similar manner to the radiocolloid. After incision, a hand-held gamma probe was used to find the SLN. In the validation group, dissection of the SLN was always followed by lymphadenectomy. In the application group, this procedure was only performed if the SLN was positive for metastases. For pathological staging, samples were evaluated using haematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry. In the validation group, lymphoscintigraphy allowed SLN detection in 49/50 patients (98%). Blue dye detected the SLN in 40/50 patients (80%). In 16 patients (33%), the SLN showed metastases in the pathology study. All 33 patients with negative SLN had regional lymph nodes negative for metastases (negative predictive value 100%). In the application group, lymphoscintigraphy showed drainage to an SLN in 19 out of 20 patients (95%) and blue dye demonstrated a stained SLN in 17/20 patients (85%). Seven of the 19 SLN-identified nodes (37%) were positive for metastases. SLN identification permits the accurate pathological study of regional nodes and could reduce the high morbidity of current surgical treatment in vulvar tumour patients if the technique were to be adopted on a routine clinical basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Two independent pathways in the development of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) have been described, one related to and the other independent of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV). The aim of our study was to evaluate whether the HPV status has a prognostic significance or can predict response to radiotherapy. Methods: All VSCC diagnosed from 1995 to 2009 were retrospectively evaluated (n =98). HPV infection was detected by amplification of HPV DNA by PCR using SPF-10 primers and typed by the INNO-LIPA HPV research assay. p16INK4a expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Disease-free and overall survival (DFS and OS) were estimated by Kaplan–Meier analysis with the log-rank test and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard''s model. Results: HR-HPV DNA was detected in 19.4% of patients. HPV16 was the most prevalent genotype (73.7% of cases). p16INK4a stained 100% HPV-positive and 1.3% HPV-negative tumors (p <.001). No differences were found between HPV-positive and -negative tumors in terms of either DFS (39.8% vs. 49.8% at 5years; p =.831), or OS (67.2% vs. 71.4% at 5years; p =.791). No differences in survival were observed between HPV-positive and -negative patients requiring radiotherapy (hazard ratio [HR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] .45 to 2.41). FIGO stages III–IV (p =.002), lymph node metastasis (p =.030), size≥20mm (p =.023), invasion depth (p =.020) and ulceration (p =.032) were associated with increased mortality but in multivariated only lymph node metastasis retained the association (HR 13.28, 95% CI 1.19 to 148.61). Conclusions: HPV-positive and -negative VSCCs have a similar prognosis. Radiotherapy does not increase survival in HPV-positive women. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]