Chromosomes of condyloma acuminatum, paget�s disease, in situ carcinoma, invasive squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma of the human vulva

Chromosomes of 21 human vulvar lesions were studied by a direct squash method. A majority of the cells from condyloma acuminatum and Paget�s disease of the vulva were normal diploid. However, most of those from in situ and invasive neoplasia were aneuploid. All immature squamous-cell carcinomas were predominantly diploid or peridiploid and devoid of triploid elements. The mature invasive squamous-cell carcinoma with keratinization and pearl formation had scattered ploidy distribution with some triploid components. Five of six patients with mature carcinomas had lymph-node metastasis, contrary to the findings in the immature carcinomas which showed no metastasis. Cells from the melanoma of the vulva demonstrated the most striking chromosomal aberrations with a peritriploid mode and marked structural deviation of the chromosomes.