Neoplasms and Genetic Counseling Flashcards
Breast Cancer epidemiology
● Leading cause of female cancers
● 281,550 cases in the US in 2021 (43,600 deaths)
● 75% occur in women > 50 yrs; Average woman has a 1 in 9 lifetime risk
● Yes, men get it too (women to men; 150:1)
● Strongly correlated with BReast CAncer genes
Breast Cancer etiology
● Most start from the epithelial cells of the glands of the milk ducts
(more to come in “Types” and “Sub-types”)
Breast Cancer risk factors
● Age over 50
● Familial risk – 1st degree relative
● Gene Mutations – BRCA1 and BRCA2
● Hormone-dependent
○ Early menarche
○ Later first full-term pregnancy
○ Late menopause
○ Use of HRT estrogen plus progesterone (6-7 yrs of use doubles risk)
● Obesity
● Moderate alcohol intake
● Chest radiation before age 30 yrs
Breast Cancer presentation
● Breast mass/nodule (document size and location)
○ More likely to be painless
○ Hard and/or irregular
○ Tethered or fixed to chest wall
● Dimpling
● Skin changes “peau d’orange”
● Nipple discharge or retraction
● Enlargement or shrinkage of the breast
Breast Cancer DDX
● Fibroadenoma
● Cysts
● Fat necrosis
● Abscess
● Lymphoma
Breast Cancer diagnosis
● Diagnostic mammogram (not the same as
screening)
○ Takes longer, varied angles, magnification of
area of concern
● Additional imaging usually for higher risk
○ Targeted breast U/S
○ MRI (High sensitivity, but not specific →
increased biopsies)
● Breast biopsy
Breast Cancer types
● Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)– pre-cancer, starting it the milk ducts
● Invasive (advanced DCIS)
● Inflammatory breast cancer (1-5%)
● Metastatic breast cancer
● Subtypes: Triple negative (10-15%)
Breast Cancer staging
● TNM classification
● Genetic test and DNA
sequencing with
specific gene
expression
Breast Cancer treatment
● Based on staging and gene expression
○ HER2, ER, PgR
● Surgical- lumpectomy, partial or complete mastectomy, etc
● Radiation
● Systemic treatments
○ Endocrine Therapy (selective estrogen-receptor modulators “SERM”)
○ Anti-HER2 – monoclonal antibodies (Herceptin)
○ Chemotherapy
Ovarian Cancer etiology
● Epithelial tissue
● Germ cell tumors
● Sex cord-stromal tumors
Ovarian Cancer risk factors
● Age over 50 (63 yo median age at Dx)
● Early menarche or late menopause
● Familial risk
● Gene Mutations
○ BRCA1 – 39–46% lifetime risk of ovarian cancer
○ BRCA2 – 2–20% risk of ovarian cancer
○ Lynch syndrome – 5-10% lifetime risk of ovarian cancer
● Endometriosis/Pelvic radiation possible contributors
Familial risk for Ovarian cancer
○ 2nd degree relative (3.5% increased risk)
○ 1st degree relative (5% increased risk)
○ Two relatives with ovarian cancer (7% increased risk)
Ovarian Cancer S/S
● Early stage – presents with vague and ill defined symptoms
● Late stage – abdominal pain or bloating, early satiety, and/or urinary urgency or
frequency. Menstrual abnormalities in reproductive age (15%)
○ The majority of women present with late stage disease
Ovarian Cancer diagnosis
● Pelvic exam – Adnexal Mass
● Pelvic U/S – Solid mass (hypoechoic)
● Lab studies
○ CA-125
● CT/MRI extent of the cancer
● Surgical excision
○ Pathology
Ovarian Cancer types
● Epithelial (80-85%)
● Germ cell tumors (5%)
○ Found in 2nd and 3rd decades of life
○ Tumor markers to monitor
● Sex cord-stromal tumors (1.2%)
Ovarian Cancer staging
● TNM classification
● Genetic testing
● Human epididymis protein
4, lactate dehydrogenase,
alpha fetoprotein,
carcinoembryonic antigen
Ovarian Cancer treatment
Based on staging
● Total hysterectomy with a bilateral (unilateral) salpingo-oophorectomy
● Chemotherapy
● Radiation (germ cell)
● Supportive care
USPSTF recommendation grading for screening for ovarian cancer
D - no recommendation for screening
Uterine Cancer: different types of tumors
○ Benign – uterine fibroid (leiomyoma)
■ More common in black females, 2-3x > than in white females
○ Malignant
■ Most (80%) are endometrial adenocarcinomas
■ Lifetime risk of 2.4% for white females, and 1.3% for black females
● Estrogen plays important role in gland proliferation
Uterine Cancer risk factors
● Obesity
● Postmenopausal estrogen treatment
● Lynch Syndrome
● Long-term use of Tamoxifen
● Pelvic radiation
Black box for tamoxifen
Tamoxifen antiestrogenic in the breast but is
associated with weak estrogenic effects in uterine epithelium→ increased risk of endometrial cancer
Uterine Cancer S/S
● Postmenopausal bleeding
● Premenopausal women
○ Atypical bleeding – between cycles, heavy, or prolonged
○ Reproductive dysfunction – infertility, miscarriage, complications
● Pelvic mass…with or without bleeding
● Pelvic pressure/pain (+/-)