Disease of the Female and Male Genital Tract Flashcards
What is the Vagina?
Muscular canal that connects the uterus to the outside world
What is the Cervix?
Interior top portion of the vagina, which is part of the uterus itself. Protrudes into the vagina. Connects the vagina to the Uterus
What is the Uterus?
A muscular organ that is responsive to hormones and nurtures the developing fetus
What are the Fallopian Tubes?
Two tubular structures that extend from the uterus onto the ovary itself. They allow for the passage of an egg, and ultimately fertilization within the tube and travel of the egg into the uterus
What are the Ovaries?
Two pair organs that produce hormones, and store and release eggs within the female genital tract
What are the 3 layers of the Cervix?
- Endocervix
- Ectocervix
- Transformation Zone
What is the Transformation Zone?
Area of squamous metaplasia where there is a transition from squamous epithelium to glandular (endocervical) epithelium
What is the Endocervix made of?
glandular epithelium
What is the Ectocervix made of?
Squamous epithelium
What is the Cervical Os?
Entrance into the cervix
What is the most common site for cervical neoplasia to occur?
Transformation Zone
How can Cervical Dysplasia be detected?
By a pap test
What are the two different types of Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (SIL)?
- low grade
- high grade
What are low grade SILs?
- lesions that are low risk of progression to invasive cancer
- responsible for HPV 6, and 11
- also genital warts
What are high grade SILs?
- lesions that are precursor to invasive cancer
- responsible for HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, and 35
What are the major causes of SIL and invasive carcinomas?
- human papillomavirus (HPV)
- sexually transmitted infection
What are the preventions for SIL and Invasive Carcinomas?
- safe sex practices (ex. condom use)
- HPV vaccination
- Cervical screening: pap test
What are the risk factors for HPV infection? (9)
- Young age at first intercourse
- Multiple sex partners
- unprotected intercourse
- smoking
- oral contraceptive use
- pregnancy
- diabetes
- immunosuppression
- poor hygiene
What occurs if a patient has low grade lesions?
Repeat pap test in 6 months since many low grade lesions spontaneously regress
What occurs if a patient has high grade lesions?
- investigated by colposcopy
- direct examination of cervix under magnification and biopsy confirmation
What are 90% of cervical cancers?
squamous cell carcinomas
What are the signs of cervical cancer?
abnormal vaginal bleeding, especially post-coital spotting
How does Cervical Cancer spread?
invades locally into the vagina, rectum, and bladder and metastasize to regional lymph nodes
How are early invasive cervical cancer cases treated?
- local excised (cone excision)
- treated with radical surgery (hysterectomy)
How are advanced cervical cancer cases treated?
Radiotherapy
What is the survival rate for low stage cervical cancer?
around 90%
What is the survival rate for advanced cervical cancer?
less than 20%
When should cervical cytology screening start?
at 21 for women who are or have ever been sexually active
How often should a cervical cytology screening be performed?
if normal, every 3 years
What is the range of ages for cervical cytology screening?
21-69
When can screening be discontinued?
at the age of 70 if there is an adequate negative cytology screening history in the previous 10 years
What is the function of the Uterus?
Nurture a developing fetus
What are the 3 layers of the Uterus?
- Mucosa
- Muscular Wall
- Peritoneal surface
What is the Mucosa layer?
- Inner most layer
- composed of the Endometrium
- made of glands and stroma
What is the Muscular Wall layer?
- layer composed of smooth muscle cells
- composed of the Myometrium
What is the Peritoneal Surface layer?
- layer that connects with the pelvis
- composed of the Serosa
What does the Endometrium undergo every month?
Changes under the influence of estrogen and progesterone produced by the ovary, which in turn is regulated by hormones produced by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland
What does Estrogen do?
Stimulates the endometrial glands to proliferate
What occurs when ovulation starts?
estrogen production subsides, and progesterone continues to increase
What does the change from estrogen to progesterone cause?
The endometrium converts from the proliferative phase to the secretory phase. This is in preparation for and to receive the nourished, fertilized egg
What occurs if implantation does not occur?
The endometrial lining is shed during the menstrual cycle and the cycle will start over again
What occurs in the cycle if hormones are unbalanced?
The cycle is altered and ovulation is sporadic or doesn’t occur
What is the most common malignancy in the female genital tract?
Endometrial Carcinoma
85% pts have which type of endometrial carcinoma?
Unopposed estrogen stimulation (low stage tumors with good prognosis)
15% pts have which type of endometrial carcinoma?
Estrogen independent (aggressive; more likely to metastasize; worse prognosis)
What are the risk factors for Endometrial Carcinoma? (4)
- failure to ovulate
- Obesity: increased estrogen produced by fat cells
- hormone replacement therapy for menopausal symptoms
- functional tumours: some ovarian tumors can produce estrogen
What are the common presenting symptoms of Endometrial Carcinoma?
- abnormal uterine bleeding
- post-menopausal vaginal bleeding
What is the treatment of Endometrial Carcinoma?
- surgery: hysterectomy
- Radiation and chemotherapy for high stages
What is the most common neoplasm of female genital tract?
Leiomyomas
What are Leiomyomas? (5)
- Commonly referred to as “fibroids”
- benign tumours of smooth muscle
- present in 30-50% of females over 30 years
- present in 75% of hysterectomy specimens
- growth is affected by hormonal alterations
What is the gross appearance of a Leiomyomas?
- round, well circumscribed
- white, whorled nodules
- often multiple
- variable size
What are the variable locations of Leiomyomas?
- submucosal
- intramural
- subserosal
Where are Submucosal Leiomyomas located?
situated in the uterine wall, just under the endometrium
Where are Intramural Leiomyomas located?
Situated in the centre of the muscular wall
Where are Subserosal Leiomyomas located?
situated near the serosa of the uterus
What are the signs and symptoms of Leiomyomas?
- depends on the size, location and number of tumours
- can be asymptomatic
- pelvic pain
- Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation)
- Infertility