The pathological characteristics included in the current FIGO criteria as being of prognostic significance in vulval carcinoma were compared for 62 women aged over and under 65 years. Older women were more likely to have high-grade carcinoma, large tumours and tumours of higher stage than the younger women, although all the cases had infiltrated more than 1 mm into the dermis. Vulval carcinomas in older patients were more likely to have features that are usually associated with a poor clinical outcome than those encountered in the younger patients.