Trends in vulvar neoplasia. Increasing incidence of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva in young women.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To determine trends in the epidemiology of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the vulva in a Central European sample during the last decade. STUDY DESIGN A total of 366 women with VIN 2 and 3 (n = 128) or vulvar SCC (n = 238) presented within two four-year periods separated by one decade (1985-1988 and 1994-1997). We performed a retrospective analysis of the clinicopathologic records of the cohorts. RESULTS The number of women with high grade VIN (n = 29 vs. 99) tripled during the last decade, while the incidence of vulvar SCC remained stable. In women < or = 50 years old, the incidence of high grade VIN increased by 392% (n = 12 vs. 59) and of invasive vulvar cancer by 157% (n = 7 vs. 18). In the earlier cohort there were 7/126 (5%) women with invasive vulvar SCC under the age of 50 and, in the latter cohort, 18/112 (16%, P < .01). CONCLUSION Over the past decade a striking increase occurred in the incidence of VIN and an increase in invasive vulvar SCC in young women.