HistoPath - Gynae Flashcards
What are the congenital abnormalities of the uterus
Duplication (i.e. uterus didelphys)
Agenesis
Give examples of common infections of the genital tract
Infections that cause discomfort with NO serious complications
- Candida: more common in DM, OCP, pregnancy
- Trichomonas vaginalis: protozoan
- Gardenerella: Gram-negative bacillus causes vaginitis
Infections that cause SERIOUS complications
- Chlamydia: major cause of infertility
- Gonorrhoea: major cause of infertility
- Mycoplasma: causes spontaneous abortion and chorioamnionitis
- HPV: implicated in cancer
What are the common causes of PID
- Ascending from LGT: Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea
- Secondary to TOP: staph aureus, strep, clostridium perfringens (spread via lymphatics and blood vessels)
What are the complications of PID
Peritonitis
Bacteraemia and sepsis
Chronic PID
Adhesions → intestinal obstruction
Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome
Salpingitis:
Tubo-ovarian abscess
Ectopic pregnancy
Infertility
Plical fusion
Hydrosalpinx (fallopian filled with fluid)
What is the most common site of ectopic pregnancy
Ampulla of fallopian tube
Define endometriosis
presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus
What are the theories of endometriosis pathogenesis
Metaplasia of pelvic peritoneum (coelomic) → implantation
Retrograde menstruation
What are the symptoms and signs of endometriosis
Dysmenorrhoea
Pelvic pain
Dyspareunia
Subfertility
Nodules
Tenderness
Fixed retroverted uterus
What malignancies is endometriosis associated with
Strongly: clear cell (mesonephroid/epithelial) ovarian cancer
Less strongly: endometroid (epithelial) ovarian cancer
What would be found on histology for endometriosis
Laparoscopically: powder burns (red/blue vesicles) and endometriomas
Micro: endometrial glands and stroma
What is adenomyosis and what are the signs on examination
Ectopic endometrial tissue in the myometrium
O/E boggy uterus
What are leiomyomas and what are the types
Smooth muscle tumour of the myometrium
MOST COMMON (20% of >35yo) uterine tumour
Usually multiple
May be submucosal, intramural, or subserosal (outermost)
What is a malignant leiomyoma
leiomyosarcoma
RARE and usually solitary
Usually post-menopausal women
5-year survival of 20-30%
Local invasion and spread via the blood stream
What are the histological features of leiomyomas
Macro: sharp, circumscribed mass, discrete benign tumour
Micro: bundle of smooth muscle cells
What is endometrial hyperplasia and what are the causes
Increase in stroma and glands (usually driven by oestrogen)
Peri-menopausal
Persistent anovulation (because of persistently raised oestrogen levels)
PCOS can also cause persistently elevated levels of oestrogen giving rise to endometrial hyperplasia
Granuloma cell tumours of the ovary
Oestrogen therapy
What is the most common gynaecological malignancy in developed countries
Endometrial cancer
Describe type 1 endometrial cancers
Type 1 (85%): endometrioid (+mucinous and secretory adenocarcinoma)
- Younger (peri-menopausal)
- Oestrogen-dependent
- Associated with atypical endometrial hyperplasia
- Low grade tumours
- Associated with PTEN, K-Ras, FGFR2, p53 etc.
Describe type 2 endometrial cancers
15%: serous and clear cell
- Older patients
- Not oestrogen dependent
- Atrophic endometrium
- High grade, deeper invasion
- Associated with Her-2, p53, PTEN etc.
Describe is the staging for endometrial cancer
FIGO
I = limited to uterus
II = spread to cervix
III = spread adjacent (pelvis)
IV = distant spread
What are the prognostic factors of endometrial cancer
Type, grade (glands vs solid, degree of cytological aplasia), stage
Tumour ploidy - diploid have a better prognosis
Hormone receptor expression
What are the risk factors for endometrial cancer
Nulliparity
Obesity
Early menarche
Late menopause
COCP
HRT
Tamoxifen
Diabetes Mellitus