vulvar carcinoma in pregnancy: a case report

abstract carcinoma of the vulva has commonly been recognized as a disease of postmenopausal women, but some cases have been reported in young women during pregnancy. medical records were reviewed for a patient with vulvar carcinoma diagnosed in pregnancy. using medline and cross references, pertinent articles were sought and reviewed. a 28-year-old afghan woman in her sixth pregnancy presented with a vulvar lesion. subsequent biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma. the patient was treated with local excision. she had a cesarean section in her 36'h week of pregnancy. she undetwent modified radical vulvectomy with bilateral groin dissection four weeks after ce arean. because of a grossly positive groin lymph node, she also unde1went radiation therapy. she is alive without invasive cancer 7 months after diagnosis. this case demonstrates the need to biopsy all suspicious vulvar lesions, even in young and pregnant women.