Reconstructive plastic surgery in the treatment of vulvar carcinomas.

Objective: The results obtained using plastic surgery reconstruction in 207 patients with a primary or recurrent vulvar carcinoma were analyzed with regard to the surgical procedures applied, pre-treatment and post-operative findings, along with the long-term oncological disease course.

Study Design: Standardized data concerning the surgical procedures applied and clinical factors were collected in a databank and statistically analyzed.

Results: The flaps employed were termed either 'local' (cutaneous or fasciocutaneous; n=84) or 'regional' (myocutaneous, n=123).

Surgical therapy of recurrent vulvar cancer.

Objective: The success of various surgical interventions in 201 cases with recurrent vulvar carcinoma was examined in the light of patients' pretreatment, surgical therapy, plastic reconstruction, and postoperative disease course.

Study Design: A databank of standardized clinical data was analyzed using statistical procedures.

Results: Therapy was selected on an individual basis according to tumor status.

The impact of treatment for genital cancer on quality of life and body image--results of a prospective longitudinal 10-year study.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of treatment for genital cancer on quality of life and body image to determine patients' therapy-related needs for quality improvement of medical care before and after surgery.

Methods: We started to evaluate women with cervical cancer planned for pelvic exenteration in 1993 and integrated women planned for a Wertheim-Meigs surgery in 1995 before surgery, 4 and 12 months after surgery. Thanks to funding since 1999, more than 400 patients with a diagnosis of genital (n = 185) or breast (n = 217) cancer participated in this prospective study until July 2003.

The physician-patient relationship before cancer treatment: a prospective longitudinal study.

Objectives: To evaluate quality of life before surgery for genital cancer to determine risk factors that might influence the physician-patient relationship.

Methods: From 1993 until 2003, 129 women with cervical cancer entered this prospective study. Patients were contacted 1 to 5 days before surgery by a psychologist or psychotherapeutically trained physician on the surgical ward.

Carcinoma of the neovagina: case report and review of the literature.

Background: Carcinoma of the vagina is a rare disease, and it is even more rare in the neovagina. Nevertheless, it has been well described. The aim of this report was to analyze the reported cases and to add observations concerning a risk profile for this rare occurrence of carcinoma.