Outcomes of vaginal squamous cell carcinoma of patients treated with radiation therapy: a series of 37 patients from a single expert center

The aim is to assess the outcome of patients treated for vaginal carcinoma with radiation therapy in terms of long-term tolerance and survival. This single-center retrospective study included patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina treated with pelvic external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with or without vaginal brachytherapy (VB) between 1990 and 2013. Thirty-seven patients were included with stage I (24%), II (60%), III (8%), or IV (8%) vaginal tumors. Median age was 66 years (range 27–86 years). Median tumor size was 4 cm (range 0.7–12 cm). Seven patients underwent first intention surgery. The 37 patients received pelvic EBRT (45 Gy) with inguinal irradiation in 57% of cases. Fifteen (41%) received concurrent chemotherapy. Low-dose supplemental VB was performed in 31 patients (84%) (median dose: 20 Gy). Median follow-up was 59 months (range 7–322 months). Four patients (11%) had late grade 3–4 complications. Relapse occurred in 11 patients (30%), five of them locally. The 5-year relapse-free and cancer-specific survival rates were 68% and 76%, respectively. Surgery and concurrent chemotherapy did not seem to have an impact on the course of the disease. In our experience, pelvic EBRT leads to prolonged survival with acceptable long-term toxicity in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina.