[Precancerous conditions and early stages of vulvar cancer].

Precancerous lesions and early stages of vulvar cancer are being increasingly observed in young women. Diagnosis is possible by means of clinical examination, colposcopy, cytology, and specific biopsy. From a prognostic and therapeutic point of view it is important to differentiate between preneoplastic and early invasive squamous cell carcinoma and to remove the lesion completely. In the case of patients with vulvar stage A carcinoma, an organ-conserving surgical procedure is justified, since a metastatic invasion of the regional lymph nodes would seem unlikely. In the case of patients with carcinoma beyond this definition an individualized tumor treatment is undertaken taking account of defined morphological prognostic criteria.