LAUSR

Melanoma of the female genitalia, including the vulva and vagina, represents a rare type of malignancy that is associated with poor survival outcomes. 1 – 3 Due to the rarity, vulvo ‐ vaginal melanomas have been relatively understudied and treatment often includes overlap between the dermatologists, representing expertise in melanoma, and the gynecologists who possess the expertise in female genital tract malignancy. While various studies have reported prognostic factors for vulvo ‐ vaginal melanomas, 1 – 5 the prognostic effect of treating specialty for vulvo ‐ vaginal melanomas (dermatologists vs. gynecologists) been previously examined. The objective of the current study to compare characteristics and outcomes of women with vulvo ‐ vaginal melanoma based on the specialty of the physician guiding treatment. This was an intergroup the the Japan Skin joint a multicenter retrospective cohort study was to examine cases of Stages I – IV vulvo ‐ vaginal melanoma from January 1995 to December 2015 ( n = 104 for vulva, and n = 107 for vagina). Institutional Review Board approval was obtained in the participating institutions as appropriate. The treating study T ‐