Gynae Flashcards
Histology cervical cancer
squamous cell cancer (80%)
adenocarcinoma (20%)
Biggest risk factor in developing cervical cancer?
HPV 16,18 & 33
What virsuses cause genital warts
HPV 6 & 11
How does HPV cause cervical cancer?
HPV 16 & 18 produces the oncogenes E6 and E7 genes respectively
E6 inhibits the p53 tumour suppressor gene
E7 inhibits RB suppressor gene
screening pathway for cervical cancer
- Test for high-risk human papillomavirus strains (hrHPV)
If negative return to normal recall - If positive → cytology
If cytology negative, retest hrHPV in 12 months
If hrHPV is then negative return to recall, if hrHPV positive repeat again in 12 months
If hrHPV is positive at 24 months, cytology is normal refer to colposcopy anway - If cytology positive → colposcopy
If sample is inadequate HPV cervical screening, what do you do?
Retest in 3 months
If inadequate again –> colposcopy
Normal recall for cervical screening
Age 25 years: first invitation.
Age 25-49 years: screening every 3 years.
Age 50-64 years: screening every 5 years.
Women 65 years of age or older if they have not had a cervical screening test since 50 years of age or a recent cervical cytology sample is abnormal.
cervical screening and pregnancy
cervical screening in pregnancy is usually delayed until 3 months postpartum unless missed screening or previous abnormal smears.
women with HIV and cervical screening
Cervical cytology at diagnosis.
Cervical cytology should then be offered annually for screening.
What is the test of cure pathway for CIN?
Individuals who have been treated for CIN1, CIN2, or CIN3 should be invited 6 months after treatment for a test of cure repeat cervical sample in the community
Management of cervical intraepitlealial neoplasia
Large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ)
Cervical cancer stage 1A
Confined to cervix, only visible by microscopy and less than 7 mm wide:
A1 = < 3 mm deep
A2 = 3-5 mm deep
Gold standard of treatment is hysterectomy +/- lymph node clearance
Nodal clearance for A2 tumours
For patients wanting to maintain fertility, a cone biopsy with negative margins can be performed
Radical trachelectomy is also an option for A2
Cervical cancer stage 1B
Confined to cervix, clinically visible or larger than 7 mm wide:
B1 = < 4 cm diameter
B2 = > 4 cm diameter
Radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy is advised
Radiotherapy may either be bachytherapy or external beam radiotherapy
Cisplatin is the commonly used chemotherapeutic agent
For B2 tumours: radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection
Stage II and III cervical cancer
Stage 2: Extension of tumour beyond cervix but not to the pelvic wall
A = upper two thirds of vagina
B = parametrial involvement
Stage 3: Extension of tumour beyond the cervix and to the pelvic wall
A = lower third of vagina
B = pelvic side wall
NB: Any tumour causing hydronephrosis or a non-functioning kidney is considered stage III
Radiation with concurrent chemotherapy
Radiotherapy may either be bachytherapy or external beam radiotherapy
Cisplatin is the commonly used chemotherapeutic agent
If hydronephrosis, nephrostomy should be considered
Stage IV cervical cancer
Extension of tumour beyond the pelvis or involvement of bladder or rectum
A = involvement of bladder or rectum
B = involvement of distant sites outside the pelvis
Radiation and/or chemotherapy is the treatment of choice
Palliative chemotherapy may be best option for stage IVB
What complications is there with LLETZ and cone biopsy
pre term labour in future pregnancies
What does FSH do?
development of follicle beyond secondary
stimulates granulosa cells to multiply and produce oestrogen
Induces LH receptors on granulosa cells of the dominant follicle
What does oestrogen do?
stimulates proliferation of granulosa cells
exerts negative feedback on the secretion of gonadotrophins
works with progesterone to maintain lining in luteal phase
What does LH do?
stimulates theca cells to synthesise androgens
the mid-cycle surge in LH causes ovulation
What does progesterone do?
Helps to build and maintain endometrial lining
progesterone is produced in large amounts by the corpus luteum to maintain the lining
the drop in progesterone due to degeneration of corpus luteum (due to no hCG) causes endmetrial shedding
what are the 4 key follicular stages
Primordial follicles
Primary follicles
Secondary follicles
Antral follicles (also known as Graafian follicles)
Histology of most endometrail cancers
adenocarcinoma
risk factors for endometrial cancer
obesity
Nulliparity (Nulliparity is a risk factor for endometrial cancer. This is because during pregnancy, the balance of hormones shifts towards progesterone, which is a protective factor.)
early menarche
late menopause
unopposed oestrogen. The addition of a progestogen to oestrogen reduces this risk (e.g. In HRT). The BNF states that the additional risk is eliminated if a progestogen is given continuously
diabetes mellitus
tamoxifen
polycystic ovarian syndrome
hereditary non-polyposis colorectal carcinoma
2 week wait criteria for ?endometrial cancer
Age over 55 with post menopausal bleeding (must be >12 months since last period)
Consider if over 55 and:
Unexplained vaginal discharge
Visible haematuria plus raised platelets, anaemia or elevated glucose levels
Investigations for endometrial cancer?
Transvaginal ultrasound for endometrial thickness (normal is less than 4mm post-menopause)
Hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy
Pipelle biopsy, which is highly sensitive for endometrial cancer making it useful for excluding cancer
Stages of endometrial cancer?
Stage 1: Confined to the uterus
Stage 2: Invades the cervix
Stage 3: Invades the ovaries, fallopian tubes, vagina or lymph nodes
Stage 4: Invades bladder, rectum or beyond the pelvis
Managemnet of endometrial cancer
total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, also known as a TAH and BSO (removal of uterus, cervix and adnexa).
progestogen therapy is sometimes used in frail elderly women not consider suitable for surgery
how may endometrial hyperplasia present?
intermenstrual bleeding
What is endometrial hyperplasia ?
types?
abnormal proliferation of the endometrium in excess of the normal proliferation that occurs during the menstrual cycle. A minority of patients with endometrial hyperplasia may develop endometrial cancer
types:
hyperprolifertaion without atypia
atypical hyperplasia
Management of endometrial hyperplasia?
Intrauterine system (e.g. Mirena coil)
Continuous oral progestogens (e.g. medroxyprogesterone or levonorgestrel) and retest in 3 months
If atypia : hysterectomy advised
Invetsigations for ovarian cancer?
CA-125
If CA-125 is over 35 the do abdo USS
Diagnosis is difficult and usually involves CT for staginh and diagnostic laparotomy
Most common ovarian cancer histlogy
epithelial cell tumour - serous tumour
What are teratomas?
germ cell tumours
Particular complication with teratomas?
ovarian torison
Blood tests in teratomas
raised alpha-fetoprotein (α-FP)
raised human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)
Risk factors for ovarian cancer
Age (peaks age 60)
BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (consider the family history)
Increased number of ovulations
Obesity
Smoking
Recurrent use of clomifene
Factors that increase the number of ovulations, increase the risk of ovarian cancer. These include:
Early-onset of periods
Late menopause
No pregnancies
2 week wait criteria for ovarian cancer
Ascites
Pelvic mass (unless clearly due to fibroids)
Abdominal mass
What investigation should women under 40 years with a complex ovarian mass have
?teratoma
Alpha-fetoprotein (α-FP)
Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)
What can raise CA-125?
Endometriosis
Fibroids
Adenomyosis
Pelvic infection
Liver disease
Pregnancy
Management ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer will be managed by a specialist gynaecology oncology MDT. It usually involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.
Management ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer will be managed by a specialist gynaecology oncology MDT. It usually involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.
Stages of ovarian cancer
Stage 1: Confined to the ovary
Stage 2: Spread past the ovary but inside the pelvis
Stage 3: Spread past the pelvis but inside the abdomen
Stage 4: Spread outside the abdomen (distant metastasis)
Most common histology vulval cancer
squamous cell carcinomas
Invetsigations for vulval cancer
Biopsy of the lesion
Sentinel node biopsy to demonstrate lymph node spread
Further imaging for staging (e.g. CT abdomen and pelvis)
management of lichen sclerosus
topical steroids and emollients
Presentation of vaginal cancer?
abnormal discharge
management vulval cancer?
Wide local excision to remove the cancer
Groin lymph node dissection
Chemotherapy
Radiotherapy
what do theca cells do?
stimulated by LH to make androgen which can be converted to oestrogen by granulosa cells
what do granulosa cells do?
stimulated by FSH to produce estrodiol
whirlpool sign
ovarian torsion
masses in the uterine wall
fibroids
Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) is the most frequent presenting symptom
Prolonged menstruation, lasting more than 7 days
Abdominal pain, worse during menstruation
Bloating or feeling full in the abdomen
Urinary or bowel symptoms due to pelvic pressure or fullness
Deep dyspareunia (pain during intercourse)
Reduced fertility
Abdominal and bimanual examination may reveal a palpable pelvic mass or an enlarged firm non-tender uterus.
fibroids
Investigations for fibroids
Hysteroscopy is the initial investigation for submucosal fibroids presenting with heavy menstrual bleeding.
transvaginal ultrasound is the investigation of choice for larger fibroids.
Management of menorrhagia with no identified pathology, fibroids <3cm, or a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of adenomyosis
- mirena coil
- non-hormonal options: tranexamic acid, NSAIDs such as mefanamic acid (if dysmenorrhoea too)
- hormonal options: COCP, cyclical progestogens
- surgical
- endometrial ablasion
- hysterectomy
management of menorrhagia with fibroids > 3cm in diameter
- mirena coil (fibroids must be less than 3cm with no distortion of the uterus)
- non-hormonal options: tranexamic acid, NSAIDs
- hormonal options: COCP, cyclical progestogens fibroids must be less than 3cm with no distortion of the uterus
- Surgical options:
- uterine artery embolisation
- myomectomy (if want to maintain fertility)
- hysterectomy
what drugs can shrink fibroids eg before surgery
GnRH agonists, such as goserelin (Zoladex) or leuprorelin (Prostap), may be used to reduce the size of fibroids before surgery. They work by inducing a menopause-like state and reducing the amount of oestrogen maintaining the fibroid. Usually, GnRH agonists are only used short term, for example, to shrink a fibroid before myomectomy.
complications of fibroids
- sub-fertility
- anaemia
- red-degenration during pregnancy
pregnant lady with severe abdo pain, low grade fever, history of fibroids
red degeneration of fibroids
Initial investigations menorrhagia
- fbc
- transvaginal USS
NICE recommend arranging a routine transvaginal ultrasound scan if symptoms (for example, intermenstrual or postcoital bleeding, pelvic pain and/or pressure symptoms) suggest a structural or histological abnormality. Other indications include abnormal pelvic exam findings.
a benign ovarian tumour
ascites
pleural effusion
Meig’s syndrome
It is a rare condition usually occurring in woman over the age of 40 years and the ovarian tumour is generally a fibroma. It is managed by the surgical removal of the tumour, however the ascites and pleural effusion may need to be drained first to allow symptomatic relief and improve pulmonary function before the anaesthetic. It has excellent prognosis due to the benign nature of the tumour.
“string of pearls”
multiple ovarian cysts
Presentation of ovarian cysts
Most ovarian cysts are asymptomatic. Cysts are often found incidentally on pelvic ultrasound scans.
Occasionally, ovarian cysts can cause vague symptoms of:
Pelvic pain
Bloating
Fullness in the abdomen
A palpable pelvic mass (particularly with very large cysts such as mucinous cystadenomas)
Ovarian cysts may present with acute pelvic pain if there is ovarian torsion, haemorrhage or rupture of the cyst.
Most common type of ovarian cyst
Follicular cysts represent the developing follicle. When these fail to rupture and release the egg, the cyst can persist.
What type of ovarian cyst may cause pelvic discomfort, pain or delayed menstruation
corpus luteum cyst
What type of ovarian cysts can become huge and take up lots of space in abdomen
Mucinous Cystadenoma
benign tumour of the epithelial cells. They can become huge, taking up lots of space in the pelvis and abdomen.
What type of cysts are particualrly associated with torsion
teratomas
Dermoid Cysts / Germ Cell Tumours
What tests do you need to do after an ovarian cyst has been identified? younger women vs oldeR?
Younger women:
Premenopause with a simple ovarian cyst less than 5cm on ultrasound do not need further investigations.
Women under 40 years with a complex ovarian mass require tumour markers for a possible germ cell tumour:
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
Alpha-fetoprotein (α-FP)
Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)
Older women/complex on scan/>5cm:
CA-125
The risk of malignancy index (RMI) estimates the risk of an ovarian mass being malignant, taking account of three things:
Menopausal status
Ultrasound findings
CA125 level
2ww for ovarian cancer
complex cysts or raised CA125
Management of ovarian cysts - premenopause vs postmenopause
Premenopause:
- simple and < 5cm: no follow up
- 5-7cm: routine gynae rf, uss each year
- >7cm: MRI to see character, surgical rf
Postmenopause:
correlation with CA-125 to consider 2ww
- simple and < 5cm: uss every 4-6 months
- perisistent/enlarging: laparoscopy
Surgery may involve removing the cyst (ovarian cystectomy), possibly along with the affected ovary (oophorectomy).
has an ovarian cyst, acute onset pain
consider:
Torsion
Haemorrhage into the cyst
Rupture, with bleeding into the peritoneum
what type of cyst causes meig’s syndrome
Ovarian fibroma (a type of benign ovarian tumour)
Risk of malignancy index for ovarian cancer
Risk malignancy index (RMI) prognosis in ovarian cancer is based on
US findings,
menopausal status and
CA125 levels
A 29-year-old nulliparous female presents to gynaecology clinic with a history of worsening menstrual pain for three years. There is no relief from ibuprofen. She is sexually active with her husband and reports pain during intercourse. Dysuria and urgency in urination are also present. She has been trying to conceive for the past two years, but failed. On examination, her uterus is of normal size. Rectovaginal exam reveals uterosacral nodularity and tenderness.
endometriosis
Presentation endometriosis
Endometriosis can be asymptomatic in some cases, or present with a number of symptoms:
Cyclical abdominal or pelvic pain
Deep dyspareunia (pain on deep sexual intercourse)
Dysmenorrhoea (painful periods)
Infertility
Cyclical bleeding from other sites, such as haematuria
There can also be cyclical symptoms relating to other areas affected by the endometriosis:
Urinary symptoms
Bowel symptoms