Bartholin Gland Carcinoma

Primary carcinoma of Bartholin's gland accounts for 5% of all vulvar cancers, and over 200 cases have been reported. Only approximately 50% of those tumors are nonepidermoid in nature. Bartholin gland carcinomas can be squamous if they originate near the orifice of the duct or papillary if they arise from the transitional epithelium of the duct, or they can be adenocarcinomas if they arise from the gland itself. An enlargement of Bartholin's gland in a postmenopausal female should raise the suspicion of malignancy.

These tumors are treated similarly to primary squamous cell carcinomas of the vulva, by radical vulvectomy and bilateral inguinal femoral lymphadenectomy. The overall 5-year survival rate of approximately 70% is below that reported for all carcinomas of the vulva and probably relates to a delay in diagnosis.

The adenoid cystic variety of Bartholin gland carcinoma invades locally and rarely metastasizes. It usually requires only wide local excision for adequate therapy. Rosenberg and colleagues reported five cases of adenocystic carcinoma of Bartholin's gland, with four patients alive and free of disease 28 to 57 months after treatment.

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Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma is rarely encountered in the female genital tract. Such lesions are usually locally invasive, nonmetastatic tumors that are commonly found on the labium majus. Therapy consists of wide local excision of the lesion. If the surgical margins are free of tumor, the disease is cured.