SynthesisCancer medicine2026
Risk Factors for Recurrence in Vulvar Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Cancer medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionVulvar cancer is a rare malignancy, accounting for 5%-8% of gynecological cancers, most commonly vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC). Achieving adequate tumor-free margins is crucial for local control. Although current guidelines recommend margins of at least 8 mm, the optimal cut-off remains uncertain, as published evidence is inconsistent. Other clinicopathological factors may also influence recurrence, but data are limited given the rarity of VSCC. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of margin width and additional prognostic factors on recurrence risk.
methodsWe conducted a PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis, registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251135659). PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane were searched through September 2025 for surgical VSCC studies reporting tumor-free margin width and local recurrence. Pooled risk ratio (RR) and hazard ratio (HR) were estimated using random-effects models, with subgroup analyses and risk of bias assessed using ROBINS-I.
resultsTwenty-eight cohort studies were included. Margins < 8 mm were associated with increased local recurrence (LR) (RR 1.42; 24.8% vs. 15.6% for ≥ 8 mm). No significant difference was found between 3-8 mm and < 3 mm, though recurrence was higher with < 3 mm. Margin width was not associated with regional or distant metastasis. Among patients with < 8 mm margins, adjuvant treatment were radiotherapy (22.5%) and re-excision (12.5%). Predictors of LR included tumor size (HR 1.53), lateral site (HR 1.60), depth of invasion (HR 2.51), lymph node positivity (HR 2.52), and higher FIGO stage (HR 1.77).
conclusionTumor-free margins ≥ 8 mm are associated with a lower risk of local recurrence in VSCC. However, recurrence remains multifactorial, influenced by tumor size, depth of invasion, nodal involvement, and stage. Therefore, optimal management should combine adequate surgical margins with individualized adjuvant therapy tailored to the patient's risk profile.
trial registrationPROSPERO (CRD420251135659).
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.