19. Gynecological Oncology Flashcards
Name: Differential diagnosis of pelvic mass (Figure)
Describe etiology: Endometrial carcinoma (6)
- most common gynecological malignancy in North America (40%); 4th most common cancer in women
- 2-3% of women develop endometrial carcinoma during lifetime
- mean age is 60 yr
- majority are diagnosed in early stage due to detection of symptoms
- 85-90% 5 yr survival for stage I disease
- 70-80% 5 yr survival for all stages
Describe: Incidence of Malignant Gynecological Lesions in North America (6)
endometrium > ovary > cervix > vulva > vagina > fallopian tube
Name: Risk Factors for Endometrial Cancer (7)
COLD NUT
- Cancer (ovarian, breast, colon)
- Obesity
- Late menopause
- Diabetes mellitus
- Nulliparity
- Unopposed estrogen: PCOS, anovulation, HRT
- Tamoxifen: chronic use
True or false
Postmenopausal bleeding = endometrial cancer until proven otherwise
True
(95% present with vaginal bleeding)
An endometrial thickness of __ mm or more is considered abnormal in a postmenopausal woman with vaginal bleeding
5 mm
Describe: Type 1 Endometrial Cancer (2)
Characterized as estrogen-related (i.e. excess/unopposed estrogen):
- Endometrioid
- Includes well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma
(Both types related to estrogen, but Type II to a lesser degree)
Name risk factors: Type 1 Endometrial Cancer (8)
- PCOS
- Diabetes mellitus
- Unbalanced HRT (balanced HRT is protective)
- Nulliparity
- Late menopause (>55 yr), early menarche Estrogen-producing ovarian tumours (e.g. granulosa cell tumours)
- HNPCC (hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer)/Lynch II syndrome
- Tamoxifen
- Increasing age and family history are risk factors for both types
Describe clinical features: Type 1 Endometrial Cancer (3)
- ~80% of cases
- Postmenopausal bleeding in majority
- Abnormal uterine bleeding in majority of affected pre-menopausal women (menorrhagia, intermenstrual bleeding)
Describe: Type 2 Endometrial Cancer (2)
Characterized as non-estrogen related: Non-endometrioid
- Includes serous, clear cell, grade 4 endometrioid and undifferentiated carcinomas, as well as carcinosarcoma
- More aggressive histologic subtypes; prognosis typically worse than type I, with a poorer 5 yr survival
(Both types related to estrogen, but Type II to a lesser degree)
Name risk factors: Type 2 Endometrial Cancer (4)
- (Increasing age and family history are risk factors for both types)
- Parous women
- Increasing age of menarche and number of children not significantly associated with reduced risk in clear-cell endometrial carcinoma
- Has been associated with p53 mutations
Describe clinical features: Type 2 Endometrial Cancer (3)
- ~15% of cases
- Post-menstrual bleeding
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
Describe screening: Endometrial Cancer (3)
- no known benefit for mass screening
- annual endometrial sampling starting at age 30-35 only for women at high risk (HNPCC [Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer]/ Lynch II syndrome)
- routine pelvic ultrasound should not be used as screening test (high false positives)
Describe investigations: Endometrial Cancer (3)
- endometrial sampling
- office endometrial biopsy
- D&C ± hysteroscopy
- ± pelvic ultrasound (in women where adequate endometrial sampling not feasible without invasive methods)
- not acceptable as alternative to pelvic exam or endometrial sampling to rule out cancer
Name prognostic factors: Endometrial Cancer (6)
Most important is FIGO stage
Other Prognostic Factors:
- Age
- Grade
- Histologic subtype
- Depth of myometrial invasion
- Presence of lymphovascular space involvement (LVSI)
Describe: FIGO Staging of Endometrial Cancer (2009)
Describe treatment: Endometrial carcinoma (4)
- surgical: hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) and pelvic washings ± pelvic and para- aortic node dissection ± omentectomy
- goals: diagnosis, staging, treatment, defining optimal adjuvant treatment
- laparoscopic approach associated with improved quality of life (optimal for most patients)
- adjuvant radiotherapy (for improved local control in patients at risk for local recurrence) and adjuvant chemotherapy (in patients at risk for distant recurrence or with metastatic disease): based on presence of poor prognostic factors in definitive pathology
- chemotherapy: often used for recurrent disease (if high grade or aggressive histology)
- hormonal therapy: progestins can be used for recurrent disease (especially if low-grade)
Describe complications of therapy: Endometrial carcinoma (5)
Surgical Complications
- Surgical site infection
- Lymphedema
Radiation Complications
- Radiation fibrosis
- Cystitis
- Proctois
Name symptoms: Uterine Sarcoma (4)
BAD-P
- Bleeding
- Abdominal distention
- Foul-smelling vaginal Discharge
- Pelvic pressure
A rapidly enlarging uterus, especially in a postmenopausal woman, should prompt consideration of what? (2)
- leiomyosarcoma.
- Nevertheless, all postmenopausal patients with an enlarging uterus should have an endometrial biopsy
Describe: UTERINE SARCOMA (4)
- rare; 3-9% of all uterine malignancies
- arise from stromal components (endometrial stroma, mesenchymal or myometrial tissues)
- behave more aggressively and are associated with worse prognosis than endometrial carcinoma; 5 yr survival is 35%
- vaginal bleeding is most common presenting symptom
Name types of: Uterine Sarcoma (4)
- Pure type
- Leiomyosarcoma
- Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (ESS)
- Undifferentiated Sarcoma
- Mixed type
- Adenosarcoma
Describe epidemiology: Leiomyosarcoma (3)
- Most common type of uterine sarcoma
- Average age of presentation is 55 yr but may present in pre-menopausal women
- Often coexist with benign leiomyomata (fibroids)
Describe features: Leiomyosarcoma (3)
- Histologic distinction from leiomyoma
- Increased mitotic count (> 10 mitoses/10 high-power fields)
- Tumour necrosis
- Cellular atypia
- Rapidly enlarging fibroids in a pre-menopausal woman
- Enlarging fibroids in a postmenopausal woman
Describe diagnosis: Leiomyosarcoma (2)
- Often post-operatively after uterusremoved for presumed fibroids
- Stage using FIGO 2009 staging for leiomyosarcomas and ECC
Describe tx: Leiomyosarcoma (5)
- Hysterectomy/BSO usually
- No routine pelvic lymphadenectomy
- Chemotherapy is used in cases of metastatic disease
- Radiation therapy does not improve local control or survival
- Poor outcomes overall, even for early-stage disease
Describe epidemiology: Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (ESS) (1)
Usually presents in perimenopausal or postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding
Describe features: Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (ESS) (2)
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Good prognosis
Describe diagnosis: Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (ESS) (2)
- Diagnosed by histology of endometrial biopsy or D&C
- Stage using FIGO 2009 staging for leiomyosarcomas and ECC
Describe tx: Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (ESS) (4)
- Hysterectomy & BSO (remove ovaries as ovarian hormones may stimulate growth)
- No routine pelvic lymphadenectomy
- Adjuvant therapy based on stage and histologic features (hormones and/or radiation)
- Hormonal therapy (progestins) may be used for metastatic disease
Describe epidemiology: Undifferentiated Sarcoma (1)
Rare; less common than leiomyosarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcoma
Describe features: Undifferentiated Sarcoma (2)
- Severe nuclear pleomorphism, high mitotic activity, tumour cell necrosis, and lack smooth muscle or endometrial stromal differentiation
- Poor prognosis
Describe diagnosis: Undifferentiated Sarcoma (1)
Often found incidentally post-operatively for abnormal bleeding
Describe tx: Undifferentiated Sarcoma (2)
- Treatment primarily surgical
- Radiation and/or chemotherapy for advanced diseased or unresectable disease
Describe epidemiology: Adenosarcoma (2)
- The rarest of the uterine sarcoma
- Mixed tumour of low malignancy potential
Describe features: Adenosarcoma (2)
- Present with abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Polypoid mass in uterine cavity
Describe dx: Adenosarcoma (3)
- Mixture of benign epithelium with malignant low-grade sarcoma
- Often found incidentally at time of hysterectomy for PMB
- Stage using FIGO 2009 staging for adenosarcoma
Describe tx: Adenosarcoma (1)
Treatment is surgical with hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
Describe: FIGO Staging of Uterine Sarcoma (2009) (Figure)
Most (70%) epithelial ovarian cancers present at stage __
III disease
Name: Ovarian Tumour Markers (10)
Ovarian Tumour Markers
- Epithelial cell: CA-125
- Stromal
- Granulosa cell: inhibin
- Sertoli-Leydig: androgens
- Germ cell
- Dysgerminoma: LDH
- Yolk sac: AFP
- Choriocarcinoma: β-hCG
- Immature teratoma: none
- Embryonal cell: AFP + β-hCG
Describe: Benign ovarian tumours (5)
- many are asymptomatic
- usually enlarge slowly, if at all
- may rupture or undergo torsion, causing pain
- pain associated with torsion of an adnexal mass usually originates in the iliac fossa and radiates to the flank
- peritoneal irritation may result from an infarcted tumour (rare)
Describe epidemiology: malignant ovarian tumours (6)
- lifetime risk 1.4%
- in women >50 yr, more than 50% of ovarian tumours are malignant
- causes more deaths in North America than all other gynecologic malignancies combined
- 4th leading cause of cancer death in women
- 85% epithelial; 15% non-epithelial
- 10-15% of epithelial ovarian cancers are related to hereditary predisposition
Name: Risk Factors (for epithelial ovarian cancers) (5)
- early menarche and/or late menopause
- personal history of breast, colon, endometrial cancer
- family history of breast, colon, endometrial, ovarian cancer
- Lynch syndrome and BRCA mutations
- use of fertility drugs
Name: Protective Factors (for epithelial ovarian cancers) (2)
- OCP: likely due to ovulation suppression (significant reduction in risk even after 1 yr of use)
- pregnancy/breastfeeding
Name Prophylactic Measures for malignant ovarian tumours (2)
- salpingectomy (prophylactic)
- BSO (prophylactic hysterectomy or tubal ligation performed for this reason in high-risk women [i.e. BRCA mutation carriers])
Describe screening: Malignant ovarian tumours (3)
- no effective method of mass screening
- routine CA-125 level measurements or U/S not recommended
- high false positive rates
- controversial in high-risk groups: transvaginal U/S and CA-125, starting age 30 (no consensus on interval)
- familial ovarian cancer (>1 first degree relative affected, BRCA-1 mutation)
- other cancers (e.g. endometrial, breast, colon)
- BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 mutation: recommendation is prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy after age 35 or when childbearing is completed
Describe clinical features: Malignant ovarian tumours (2)
- most women with epithelial ovarian cancer present with advanced stage disease as patients often asymptomatic until disseminated (symptoms with early-stage disease are vague and non-specific)
- when present, symptoms may include:
- abdominal symptoms (nausea, bloating, pain, dyspepsia, anorexia, early satiety)
- symptoms of mass effect
- increased abdominal girth (from ascites or tumour itself)
- urinary urgency and frequency
- constipation
Diagnosis of ovarian tumours requires what? (1)
surgical pathology
Any adnexal mass in postmenopausal women should be considered what? (1)
malignant until proven otherwise
Describe: Omental Cake (2)
- a term for ascites plus a fixed upper abdominal and pelvic mass;
- almost always signifies ovarian cancer
Describe: Malignant Ovarian Tumour Prognosis 5 Year Survival (4)
- Stage I 75-95%
- Stage II 60-75%
- Stage III 23-41%
- Stage IV 11%
Describe: Low Malignant Potential (also called “Borderline”) Tumours (6)
- a subcategory of epithelial ovarian cancer (~15% of all epithelial ovarian tumours)
- pregnancy, OCP, and breastfeeding are protective factors
- tumour cells with histologically malignant characteristics arise from the ovarian surface, but do not invade ovarian stroma
- able to metastasize, but not commonly
- treated primarily with surgery (BSO/omental biopsy ± hysterectomy)
- chemotherapy has limited benefit: can be treated with hormonal manipulation (letrozole)
- generally slow growing, excellent prognosis
- 5 yr survival >99%
- recurrences tend to occur late, may be associated with low-grade serous carcinoma
Name ovarian tumours (16)
- FUNCTIONAL TUMOURS (all benign)
- Follicular Cyst
- Corpus Luteum Cyst
- Theca-Lutein Cyst
- Endometrioma
- Polycystic Ovaries
- BENIGN GERM-CELL TUMOURS
- Benign Cystic Teratoma (dermoid)
- MALIGNANT GERM-CELL TUMOURS
- Dysgerminoma
- Immature Teratoma
- Yolk Sac Tumour
- Ovarian Choriocarcinoma
- EPITHELIAL OVARIAN TUMOURS (malignant or borderline)
- Serous
- Mucinous
- SEX CORD STROMAL OVARIAN TUMOURS
- Fibroma/Thecoma (benign)
- Granulosa-Theca Cell Tumours (benign or malignant)
- Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumour (benign or malignant)
- METASTATIC OVARIAN TUMOURS
- From GI Tract, Breast, Endometrium, Lymphoma
Describe ovarian tumour: Follicular Cyst
- Description
- Presentaiton
- Ultrasound/Cytology
- Treatment
- Description: Follicle fails to rupture during ovulation
- Presentation:
- Usually asymptomatic
- May rupture, bleed, tort, infarct causing pain ± signs of peritoneal irritation
- Ultrasound/Cytology: 4-8 cm mass, unilocular, lined with granulosa cells
- Treatment:
- Symptomatic or suspicious masses warrant surgical exploration Otherwise if <6 cm, wait 6 wk then re-examine as cyst usually regresses with next cycle
OCP (ovarian suppression): will prevent development of new cysts - Treatment usually laparoscopic (cystectomy vs. oophorectomy, based on fertility choice)
- Symptomatic or suspicious masses warrant surgical exploration Otherwise if <6 cm, wait 6 wk then re-examine as cyst usually regresses with next cycle
Describe ovarian tumour: Corpus Luteum Cyst
- Description
- Presentaiton
- Ultrasound/Cytology
- Treatment
- Description: Corpus luteum fails to regress after 14 d, becoming cystic or hemorrhagic
- Presentation:
- More likely to cause pain than follicular cyst
- May delay onset of next period
- Ultrasound/Cytology:
- Larger (10-15 cm) and firmer than follicular cysts
- Treatment: Same as for follicular cysts
Describe ovarian tumour: Theca-Lutein Cyst
- Description
- Presentaiton
- Ultrasound/Cytology
- Treatment
- Description: Due to atretic follicles stimulated by abnormal β-hCG levels
- Presentation: Associated with molar pregnancy, ovulation induction with clomiphene
- Ultrasound/Cytology: -
- Treatment:
- Conservative
- Cyst will regress as β-hCG levels fall
Describe ovarian tumour: Benign Cystic Teratoma (dermoid)
- Description
- Presentaiton
- Ultrasound/Cytology
- Treatment
- Description:
- Single most common ovarian germ cell neoplasm
- Elements of all 3 cell lines; contains dermal appendages (sweat and sebaceous glands, hair follicles, teeth)
- Presentation:
- May rupture, twist, infarct
- 20% bilateral
- 20% occur outside of reproductive yr
- Ultrasound/Cytology:
- Smooth-walled, mobile, unilocular
- Ultrasound may show calcification which is pathognomonic
- Treatment: Treatment usually laparoscopic cystectomy; may recur
Describe general information: Malignant germ-cell tumours
- Description
- Presentation
- Treatment
- Description: Rapidly growing, 2-3% of all ovarian cancers
- Presentation: Usually children and young women (<30 yr)
- Treatment: Surgical resection (often conservative unilateral salpingo- oophorectomy ± nodes) ± chemotherapy
Describe ovarian tumour: Dysgerminoma
- Description
- Presentaiton
- Treatment
- Description: Produces LDH
- Presentation: 10% bilateral
- Treatment: When diagnosed at stage IA, no adjuvant treatment is indicated If diagnosed at advanced stage, very responsive to chemotherapy, therefore complete resection is not necessary for cure