Care of Patients with Gynecologic Problems Flashcards
Cancer of the inner uterine lining
Is Most common female gynecologic malignancy
Relatively Good prognosis - depends on staging
Grows slowly in most cases compared to other female cancers
Adenocarcinoma most common type of tumor
Etiology/Risk Factors
Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer
Stage 1 – confined to the endometrium; not metastasis
Stage 2 – also involves the cervix
Stage 3 – reaches the vagina or lymph nodes
Stage 4 – spread to the bowel or bladder mucosa and/or beyond the pelvis; spreading to distant area
Determines treatment options
Grows slowly in most cases compared to other female cancers
Imp - gen health for clients and so are aware
#1: Strongly associated with prolonged exposure to estrogen without the protective effects of progesterone - estrogen supplements without progesterone
Women in reproductive years
Nulliparity - no children
Family history
DM
HTN
Obesity
Uterine polyps - BIG RISK FACTOR; precursor to cancer cells
Late menopause
Smoking
Tamoxifen given for breast cancer - treatment sometimes use for breast cancer
Etiology/Risk Factors
Symptoms
Lab assessment
Diagnostic assessment
Assessment
Postmenopausal and has vaginal bleeding – one of the big warning signings; main symptom
Watery, bloody vaginal discharge
Low back or abdominal pain - when advances - cancer growing in uterus
Low pelvic pain (caused by pressure of the enlarged uterus)
Symptoms
Early symptoms of vaginal bleeding generally lead to prompt evaluation and treatment
Postmenopausal and has vaginal bleeding – one of the big warning signings; main symptom
Uterus is enlarged if the cancer is advanced
Low pelvic pain (caused by pressure of the enlarged uterus)
CBC (may show anemia)
Cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) – elevated in ovarian cancer; big one for endometrial cancer; warrants further eval
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) – elevated in ovarian cancer; big one for endometrial cancer; warrants further eval
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) – elevated level may indicate pregnancy, pregnancy should be ruled out before treatment begins
Lab assessment
Transvaginal ultrasound
Endometrial biopsy in order to confirm diagnosis
Other diagnostic tests may be done to determine the patient’s overall health status and the presence of metastasis
Diagnostic assessment
Surgical management
Nonsurgical management
Psychosocial Interventions
Interventions
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3/4 may or may not do surgery but once metastasized diff places have do chemo and radiation; might with 1 and 2 do chemo and radiation but typ with those do surgical
Surgical management
Removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries (total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy (BSO) as well as peritoneum fluid or washings for cytologic examination - check peritoneal area for metastasis and check for cancer cells in fluid/washings
Stage 1
Radical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy with radical pelvic lymph node dissection and removal of the upper third of the vagina
Depends
Stage 2
Used postoperatively and depends on the surgical staging
Radiation therapy
Drug therapy
Nonsurgical management
More common interventions for cervical and endometrium cancer
Brachytherapy internal radiation placed by the radiologist
External beam radiation therapy (EBRT)
Radiation therapy
Put the radioactive implant remains in place for several minutes then take it out; not radioactive in between treatments
procedure may be repeated between 2 and 5 times once or twice a week - or however often need
patient is not radioactive between treatments and there is no restrictions on her interactions with others
restricted to bedrest during the treatment session
Brachytherapy internal radiation placed by the radiologist
4-6 weeks; 5x/week
Not radioactive between treatments; never internal
External beam radiation therapy (EBRT)
Chemotherapy - used if need postop or in addition to radiation
Drug therapy