Radiation Treatment for Primary Adenocarcinoma of Bartholin's Gland: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Oh, Won Yong; Whang, In Soon

Abstract

A patient with primary adenocarcinoma of Bartholin's gland is reported and the literatures relevant to this disease reviewed. Not only this disease is very rare but also primary carcinomas of Bartholin's gland are misdiagnosed as cysts or abscesses in half of the cases, leading to considerable delay in diagnosis. And so, It was wasted long time before definitive therapy. However, because of a different clinical behavior, cancer of the Bartholin's gland should be distinguished from other vulvar carcinomas. Histologically, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma are the most common. Virtually all histologic types of Bartholin's gland carcinoma metastasize to lymph node, bone, lung and liver in distant sites. The authors data and a review of the literature support the concept that radical vulvectomy with or without bilateral inguina1-femoral lymphadenectomy is required. On the other hand, except primary radiation treatment for small or medium sized cancers, the results obtained by radiation therapy in carcinoma of the vulva including Bartholin's gland are generally discouraging. A role for postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy suggests because of high incidence of positive inguinal-femoral lymph nodes. In the near time, natural history and biological behavior of Bartholin's gland cancer must be disclosed in detail. And also optimal treatment modality and prognostic factors shall be determine.