[Risk factors in stage I squamous cell epithelial cancer of the vulva and their effect on results of therapy].

A total of 113 cases of carcinoma of the vulva, stage I, were retrospectively (1972-1983) evaluated with respect to the clinical and morphological findings. 14 of the patients developed a recurrence. The five-year period survival rate was 84.9% and the corrected survival rate was 92.5%. 79 of these patients underwent radical vulvectomy only. The other 34 patients received combination therapy of vulvectomy and irradiation of the inguinal lymph nodes. Our surgical technique of using the warm knife and open-wound technique in combination with radiotherapy applied only to the inguinal lymph nodes gives excellent results without the complications associated with aggressive surgery.