Female Reproductive System Flashcards
Danger Signals - Dominant Breast Mass/Breast CA Overview
- adult/older female
- has dominant mass on one breast that feels hard and irregular shaped
- mass may be attached to skin/surrounding breast tissue (or is immobile)
Common locations: upper outer quadrants (tail of Spence)
Skin changes:
- “peau d’orange” (localized area of skin resembling orange peel)
- dimpling
- retraction
- painless or accompanied by serous/bloody nipple discharge
- nipple may be displaced or become fixed
► Order mammogram
- 15% of women w/ breast CA may have negative mammogram
► US can detect mass → Refer to breast specialist for diagnostic biopsy
► Refer to breast surgeon
Common sites for metastatic ds:
- bone (e.g., back pain)
- liver (e.g., jaundice, abdominal pain, anorexia, nausea)
- lungs (e.g., dyspnea, cough)
- brain (e.g., headache)
Danger Signals - Paget’s Disease of the Breast Overview
- older female
- hx of red-colored, scaly rash (resembling eczema) and starts on nipple and spreads to areola of one breast
- may c/o itching, pain, or burning
- skin lesion slowly enlarges and evolves to include crusting, ulceration, and/or bleeding on nipple
- ~50% of women will have breast mass
- Rarely found in men
Danger Signals - Inflammatory Breast CA Overview
- recent or acute onset of red, swollen, and warm area in breast of middle-aged woman (median age ~59 yrs)
- symptoms develop quickly
- may have breast tenderness or itching
- can mimic mastitis
- often, no distinct lump on affected breast
- skin may be pitted (peau d’orange) or appear bruised
- suspect in women w/ progressive breast inflammation that does not respond to antibiotics
- most women w/ IBC have lymph node metastases
- 1/3 have distant metastases when diagnosed
- more common in African Americans, usually diagnosed at younger age
- Rare but very aggressive form of breast CA (1-5%)
Danger Signals - BRCA1- and BRCA2-associated Hereditary Breast and Ovarian CA Overview
- pts w/ personal (or fam hx) of breast, ovarian, prostate, or pancreatic CA may benefit from a hereditary CA risk evaluation (genetic counseling) so that they can find out their risk for these CA
- Breast CA susceptibility genes (BRCA1/2) are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern
- up to 6% of breast CA and 20% of ovarian CA cases are caused by mutations in these genes
- Ashkenazi Jews (European ethnicity Jews) are at higher risk for BRCA 1/2 mutations
- Men w/ BRCA mutations are at highest risk of breast/prostate CA
- Women who have a high lifetime risk (~20%) should undergo annual screening mammogram, annual breast MRI, and clinical breast exams Q6-12 months beginning 10 years prior to age at diagnosis of youngest affected fam member
- ask what age fam members w/ breast CA were diagnosed and screen 10 years earlier
Ex: if a sister was 35 when diagnosed w/ breast CA, then screen for breast CA by MRI can start at 25 years
Danger Signals -Ovarian Cancer Overview
- middle-age or older woman
- vague sx of abdominal bloating or discomfort, low-back pain, pelvic pain, dyspareunia, and changes in bowel habits
Other sx:
- unusual lower abdominal/back pain
- unusual tiredness or fatigue
- 75% are diagnosed when already spread beyond ovary → poor overall survival rate
- 5-year survival w/ distant metastases is 25%, but if caught at stage 1, it is >90%
- Currently no lab or imaging tests that can detect at early stages
- annual “CA 125” testing alone lacks sufficient specificity for screening average-risk pts
- if higher risk, transvaginal US is poor in detecting early-stage epithelial ovarian CA
- Look for fam hx of ≥2 1º/2º relatives (cousins, aunts, uncles) w/ hx of ovarian CA or combination of ovarian and breast CA, esp in women of Ashkenazi Jewish ethnicity w/ 1º relative (or 2º relatives on same side of fam) w/ breast/ovarian CA
- Women w/ high-risk fam hx should be referred for genetic counseling and testing (e.g., BRCA 1/2, Lynch syndrome)
- Screening can start 10 years before earliest age of first diagnosis of ovarian CA in fam hx
Danger Signals - Ectopic Pregnancy
- reproductive-age sexually active female w/ pelvic pain; may be diffuse or localized to one side
- sometimes accompanied by vaginal bleeding
- pain may be abrupt or more gradual; can be dull or sharp (usually not cramping)
- if intraperitoneal bleeding, pain may radiate from middle to upper abdomen, and/or may be referred to shoulder
- may shuffle instead of walking normally to ↓ jarring of pelvis
- amenorrhea to light menses in previous 6-7 weeks
RF:
- prior ectopic pregnancy
- current use of IUD
- tubal ligation
- in vitro fertilization (IVF)
- ~96% of ectopic pregnancies occur in fallopian tubes
- definite diagnosis: serum HCG levels (quantitative chorionic gonadotropin) + transvaginal US
- Leading cause of death for women in the first trimester of pregnancy → Refer to ED!
Normal Findings: Anatomy - Breasts
- puberty in girls start w/ breast buds (Tanner stage II, ends Tanner stage V)
- during puberty, common for both girls and some boys (45%) to have tender and asymmetrical breast buds and breasts (gynecomastia); one breast may be larger than other
- Upper outer quadrant of breasts (called “tail of Spence”) is where majority of breast CA is located
- Women w/ BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation (or both) have up to 72% risk of being diagnosed w/ breast CA in their lifetime
- Hard irregular mass that is not mobile → follow-up for breast CA
- Postmenopausal women’s breasts will feel softer to palpation w/ less volume
Simple breast cysts
benign fluid-filled cysts, round/oval
- highest prevalence 35-50 years
Fibroadenomas
- most common type of solid breast tumor
- consist of fibrous tissue ranging from a few mm to 2.5 cm
- US is imaging of choice
- some pts may need needle biopsy to confirm diagnosis
- high estrogen levels can make them grow, while low levels (e.g., menopause) can make the shrink
- Most are NOT associated w/ an increase in breast CA except for COMPLEX fibroadenomas
Risk Factors for breast CA in men:
- cryptorchidism
- positive fam hx
- BRCA 1/2 mutation
What is the diagnostic test for breast CA (or any type of solid tumor)?
Tissue biopsy
Normal Findings: Cervix
pink and smooth, or it might be uneven, rough or splotchy
Cervical ectropion
- bright-red bumpy tissue w/ irregular surface on cervical surface around the os
- benign finding
- made up of glandular cells (same cells found inside cervical os)
- more friable (bleeds easily) compared w/ squamous epithelial cells on cervix surface
- Some adolescents and adult women taking birth control pills and pregnant woman may have large ectropions → normal finding (d/t high estrogen)
- can change in size/shape; will disappear ore regress over time
- if present, sample surface of the transformation zone (TZ) area when performing a pap test → abnormal cells are more likely to develop d/t metaplasia in PZ
- Girls and teenagers have larger ectropions; some adult women on birth control pills may develop ectropion
Transformation zone (TZ)
area where the ectropion transitions to smooth cervical surface of squamous epithelial cells
Normal Findings: Cervical and Vaginal Mucus
- varies from scant (“dry”), thick, white, runny white (white and clear mucus) to clear stringy mucus
- after menses, vaginal discharge is scant
- during midcycle, a large amount of runny, clear mucus (the mucus plug) is normal, except if pt is on hormonal contraceptives (which thickens mucus plug)
- can be mixed w/ blood and appear as red-dark brownish during menstrual cycle
Normal Findings: Uterus
- fibroids
- include uterine corpus and uterine cervix
- endometrium consists of glandular epithelium and stroma
- Fibroids (uterine leiomyoma or myoma) can enlarge uterus; can be asymptomatic or may cause heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), pelvic pain or cramping, and bleeding b/w periods
- Fibroids (uterine leiomyoma or myoma) are usually benign; can cause urgency if fibroid is pressing on bladder
- on rare occasions, fibroids can be malignant and cause uterine CA (leiomyosarcoma)
Normal Findings: Ovaries
- produces estrogen, progesterone, and a small amount of testosterone (androgens)
- women w/ PCOS have multiple cysts on ovaries, which results in higher estrogen level and high androgens level (causes acne, hirsutism, oligomenorrhea, insulin resistance)
- during menopause, ovaries become atrophied
- palpable ovary in menopausal women is ALWAYS abnormal → R/O ovarian CA → Order pelvic/intravaginal US and refer to gynecologist
** Know female body change sin menopause: If palpable ovary (abnormal), order an intravaginal US!
Benign Variants: Supernumerary nipples
- forms a V-shaped line on both sides of chest down the abdomen and are symmetrically distributed
Menstrual Cycle: Follicular Phase
- based on perfect 28-day menstrual cycle
Days 1-14; - AKA proliferative phase
- each month, FSH is produced by anterior pituitary
- FSH stimulates maturation of follicles in woman’s ovary
- Estrogen is produced by developing follicles (or the “eggs”)
- estrogen is the predominant hormone during the first 2 weeks of the menstrual cycle*
- stimulates development and growth of endometrial lining
Menstrual Cycle: Ovulatory Phase
Day 14; Midcycle
- LH is secreted by anterior pituitary gland
- induces ovulation and the maturation of the dominant follicle on day 14 (of 28-day cycle)
- follicle migrates to fimbriae of fallopian tube
- takes ~5 days for egg to move through fallopian tube, where conception can take place
Menstrual Cycle: Luteal Phase
Day 14-28
- progesterone is the predominant hormone during last 2 weeks of cycle
- produced by corpus luteum
- helps to stabilize endometrial lining
Menstrual Cycle: Menstruation
- If not pregnant, both estrogen and progesterone fall drastically → menses
- low hormone levels stimulate the hypothalamus and then the anterior pituitary → (FSH)
- cycle starts again
Menstrual Cycle: Fertile Time Period
- Sexual intercourse 1-2 days before ovulation offers highest chance of pregnancy
- characterized by copious amounts of clear mucus, thin and elastic in vagina
- sign is used in cervical-mucus method of birth control to indicate the fertile period of the cycle
- There are not ovulation kits, OTC, that can detect urinary LH, which appears within 12 hrs after it is in the serum (released by anterior pituitary)
- False-positive results are possible w/ women w/ PCOS, ovarian insufficiency, and menopause
Menstrual Cycle: Conception
- occurs when sperm fertilizes egg
- as it travels down fallopian tube into uterus, fertilized egg continues to divide until it becomes sa blastocyst
- blastocyst implants into endometrium → embryo
- takes 3-4 days for fertilized egg to fully implant in uterus
- placenta is fully formed by 18-20 weeks
- estrogen and progesterone levels increase, along wit HCG, which is produced by placenta
- Pregnancy lasts 280 days or ~40 weeks