OBJECTIVES:~I. To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and feasibility of bioimpedance technology as compared to clinically derived measurements to include circumferential volumetric measurements to detect lower-extremity lymphedema in patients who are undergoing an inguinal lymphadenectomy during the concurrent surgical management of a vulvar cancer.~OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.~Patients undergo preoperative and postoperative lower-extremity lymphedema assessment comprising serial circumferential measurements, bioimpedance spectroscopy measurements, and clinical evaluation using the Stemmer sign. Patients undergo radical vulvectomy or radical local excision as prescribed by GOG-0244, and unilateral or bilateral inguinal or inguinal-femoral lymphadenectomy.~After completion of study, patients are followed up at 4-6 weeks, every 3 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months for 1 year.
This phase II trial studies bioimpedance spectroscopy in detecting lower-extremity lymphedema in patients with stage I, stage II, stage III, or stage IV vulvar cancer undergoing surgery and lymphadenectomy. Diagnostic procedures, such as bioimpedance spectroscopy, may help doctors to predict the onset of lower-extremity lymphedema in patients with vulvar cancer undergoing surgery.