Vulvar basal cell carcinoma: A retrospective study of 29 cases from Queensland

Objective: Review the clinical features, diagnosis, management and outcomes for 29 cases of Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) of the Vulva referred to Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer (QCGC) between 1986 and 2010. Methods: Vulvar BCC cases from QCGC were reviewed and analysed using the computer software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 11.0. Results: BCC of the vulva is uncommon with an incidence from the QCGC vulvar cancer registry of 3.2%. Of the 29 patients one died of their BCC and seven died of unrelated causes. The mean age at diagnosis was 69.5 years (range 40 to 91). All cases were Caucasian. Time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis averaged 22.6 months (range 0 120 months). Not until a biopsy was performed was the diagnosis made. The most common presenting complaints were pruritis and a lump. Initial treatment was surgical. Conclusions: The prognosis for vulvar BCC is excellent. Histological diagnosis and long term follow-up are important management issues. The status of disease at the margins of surgical specimens does not reliably equate to patient long term outcomes. Follow up should be supervised via a gynecological oncology register to reduce the risk of patient loss to follow up.