Detection of Precancerous Lesions of the Vulva

Abstract

Vulvar cancer and its precursor lesions are uncommon and hence there are no standard screening programs. The precancerous lesions are often overlooked and are treated as nonspecific dermatologic conditions. Often the patients seek multiple opinions from different specialists for symptom relief. Therefore, the gynecologists, dermatologists, and other healthcare providers in this field should be familiar of the clinical features and detection of the different premalignant vulvar lesions: squamous vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, vulvar Paget disease, and melanoma in situ. The histopathological diagnosis can sometimes be mistaken especially in differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasias, and a close relationship between clinicians and the pathologists will help to arrive at the correct diagnosis and proper management.