Radiation Therapy With or Without Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Stage I, Stage II, or Stage III Cancer of the Vulva

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed stage I, II, III, or IVA squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva amenable to curative treatment with surgery, radiotherapy, or both
• •* At least 1 positive inguinal and/or femoral lymph node
• •* No inoperable (fixed or ulcerating) groin nodes
• •* Must not require resection of urethra or anal sphincter to achieve negative margins
• •Must have undergone vulvar biopsy and bilateral inguinal/femoral lymph node dissection within 8 weeks of randomization
• •No metastatic disease
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •Any age
• •Performance status:
• •GOG 0-2
• •Life expectancy:
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic:
• •WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal
• •SGOT no greater than 3 times normal
• •Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times normal
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• •Other:
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No other prior invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy:
• •No prior chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No prior radiotherapy
• •Surgery:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No more than 8 weeks since prior surgery
• •Other:
• •No prior therapy for another malignancy that would preclude study