Carcinoma in situ of the vulva: a continuing challenge.

The epidemiologic data, clinical features, associated diseases, and histologic characteristics present in 50 cases of carcinoma in situ of the vulva are analyzed. A comparison of follow-up results obtained with various treatment methods is presented. With primary surgery the recurrence rate is dependent on the presence or absence of tumor at the surgical margins. Deoxyribonucleic acid patterns, determined by microspectrophotometry, were aneuploid in 92% of the cases studied. Five patients (10%) with aneuploid lesions, observed without therapy, experienced spontaneous regression of tumor and replacement of abnormal areas by euploid epithelium.