Vulvar Cancer clinical trials at University of California Health

This phase II trial studies how well radiation therapy works when given with gemcitabine hydrochloride and cisplatin work in treating patients with squamous cell cancer of the vulva that has spread from where it started to nearby tissue or lymph nodes. Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine hydrochloride and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving radiation therapy together with gemcitabine hydrochloride and cisplatin may kill more tumor cells.

This research trial studies patients with early-stage vulvar cancer undergoing sentinel lymph node dissection. Sentinel lymph node dissection may have fewer side effects than removing all lymph nodes. Observing patients undergoing sentinel lymph node dissection may help doctors confirm the safety of the procedure.