From 1966 to 1981 96 patients with carcinoma of the vulva received their primary treatment at the Frauenklinik of the Klinikum Mannheim. The average age was 69 years at the time of the diagnosis. Histologically keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma was found in 78.2% of all cases, non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma in 9.2% and atypical squamous cell carcinoma in 4.6%. Preferred localisation of the vulvar carcinoma were the labia majora and minora (55.1%) and the perineum (19.5%). 43.7% of all patients underwent vulvectomy or hemivulvectomy, followed by radiation in 47.4% of these cases. Electrorescetion was performed in 24.1% of all patients, followed by radiation in 71.4%. 16.1% underwent radical surgery, followed by radiation in 85.7% of patients. The 5-year survival rate was 44.4% when radical surgery was performed, and 38.5% when this was not the case.