Role of radiotherapy in the combined treatment of invasive cancer of the vulva

: The authors review the literature on the different combinations of radiotherapy with chemotherapy and surgery with the aim of giving a state of art on the role of combined multimodality treatment of invasive vulvar carcinoma. From the data of the recent literature it appears that radiation integrated with surgery and chemotherapy can play an important role in reducing the risk of postoperative locoregional failure in patients with advanced primary or nodal disease and avoiding exenteration in patients with disease involving the anus or proximal urethra. This integrated multimodality therapy is a promising approach in the treatment of invasive vulvar carcinoma but further exploration in a larger number of patients is needed before giving consolidated data applicable in routine oncological clinical practice.