Adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with vulvar cancer and one intra capsular lymph node metastasis is not beneficial

Abstract Aim of the study The aim of the study was to analyze the benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with vulvar cancer and a single positive node without extra capsular spread. Materials and methods The study population comprised data of 75 patients with vulvar cancer and one lymph node metastasis. The patients were treated in three different university centers in Amsterdam, Groningen and Rotterdam between 1984 and 2005. Results Out of 75 patients, 31 (41%) were treated with adjuvant radiotherapy. Both disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were comparable between the groups who did and who did not receive adjuvant radiotherapy (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.45–2.14, p = 0.97 and HR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.42–2.47, p = 0.96). Conclusion We could not demonstrate any beneficial effect of adjuvant radiotherapy in the group of patients with one intra capsular metastasis.