Pathology of the Female Reproductive Tract Part 1 Flashcards
What is the 3rd most common cause of death in women worldwide?
1 - cervical cancer
2 - CVD
3 - breast cancer
4 - lung cancer
1 - cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is the 3rd most common cause of deaths in women worldwide. What is the most common type of cervical cancer?
1 - columnar cell carcinoma
2 - squamous cell carcinoma
3 - vaginal cell carcinoma
4 - uterine cell carcinoma
2 - squamous cell carcinoma
- accounts for 75%, 2nd is adenocarcinoma
Cervical cancer is the 3rd most common cause of deaths in women worldwide. When a patient has cervical cancer where is the cancer likely to metastasise?
1 - bladder, rectum, pelvic lymph nodes
2 - pancreas, rectum, pelvic lymph nodes
3 - bladder, liver, pelvic lymph nodes
4 - femur, rectum, pelvic lymph nodes
1 - bladder, rectum, pelvic lymph nodes
- bladder causing urinary frequency, dysuria and haematuria
- rectum causes constipation
- pelvic lymph nodes causes pelvic pain
Cervical cancer is the 3rd most common cause of death worldwide. Why does it have a higher prevalence in developing countries?
- poorer screening process
What is human papillomavirus (HPV)?
- group of non-enveloped DNA viruses
- specifically infect human epithelial cells
- can cause genital warts or cancer
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common group of viruses that can cause genital warts or cancer. What are some common risk factors for contracting HPV?
- multiple sexual partners without protection
- prolonged infection
- immunosuppression
- smoking (twice as likely to have cervical cancer if smoking)
- prolonged use of COCP > 5 years
- having many children >3
- low socio economic background
Which of the following are risk factors for the development of cervical/vulval intraepithelial neoplasia?
- intraepithelial = abnormal cells present on the surface epithelial tissue of the cervix and have not grown past that surface layer
- neoplasia = abnormal growth of cells
1 = HPV infection 2 = High Fat diet 3 = Early age of first intercourse 4 = Multiple sexual partners 5 = Excessive alcohol consumption 6 = Smoking
1 = HPV infection (type of HPV virus) 4 = Multiple sexual partners 6 = Smoking
If you contract the human papillomavirus (hpv) what happens in most cases?
1 - patient becomes infected and this develops into cervical cancer
2 - patient becomes infected but immune system eliminates virus within months
3 - patient becomes infected but immune system cannot eliminates virus and virus persists
4 - patient becomes infected and then becomes pre-cancerous as immune system did not kill it
2 - patient becomes infected but immune system eliminates virus within months
If you contract the human papillomavirus (HPV) the majority of patients becomes infected but the immune system eliminates virus within months. However, if the infection persists what can this cause?
1 - cervical cancer
2 - endometrial cancer
3 - squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) also called cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIL)
4 - HPV remains dormant until patient is immunocompromised
3 - squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) also called cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIL)
If you contract the human papillomavirus (HPV) the majority of patients becomes infected but the immune system eliminates virus within months. However, if the infection persists this can cause squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) also called cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIL). What are SILs a precursor of?
- invasive cervical carcinomas
If you contract the human papillomavirus (hpv) multiple times and the tissues becomes pre-cancerous, does that mean it will automatically become cancerous?
- no
- could become cancerous or just remain with the infection, but not pre-cancerous
If you contract the human papillomavirus (hpv) multiple times what can determine if the cervical tissue then becomes cancerous?
- polymorphisms in major histocompatibility complex
If you contract the human papillomavirus (hpv) multiple times the presence of polymorphisms in major histocompatibility complex can determine if the cervical tissue then becomes cancerous. What risk factors can then determine if the pre-cancerous tissues then becomes cancerous?
1 - HPV infection 2 - multiple sexual partners 3 - smoking 4 - nutrition 5 - multi-parity (multiple child births)
What is squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) also called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)?
1 - lesion in squamous epithelial cells leading to abnormal growth of basal cells at the cervix
2 - lesion in columnar epithelial cells leading to abnormal growth of basal cells at the cervix
3 - lesion in squamous epithelial cells leading to cancer
4 - lesion in uterine epithelial cells leading to abnormal growth of basal cells
1 - lesion in squamous epithelial cells leading to abnormal growth of basal cells at the cervix
- could potentially lead to cervical cancer
- SIL I-III same as CIN I-III determines the level of affected epithelial cells of the cervix
Which of the following are risk factors for the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia?
BRCA mutation positive Sun exposure Immunocompromise Tampon use Low socioecomonic status Lack of physical exercise
3 - Immunocompromised
5 - Low socio-economic status
What is the basic cell type of the ectocervix?
- non-keratinising stratified squamous epithelial cells
- resistant to low pH of the vagina
What is the basic cell type of the endocervix?
- columnar epithelial cells
- secrete mucus
The basic cell type of the endocervix is columnar epithelial cells that secrete mucus. What happens to the columnar epithelial cells if they are exposed to the acidic pH of the vagina?
1 - undergo hyperplasia
2 - undergo hypertrophy
3 - undergo metaplasia
4 - undergo dysplasia
3 - undergo metaplasia
What is metaplasia?
- replacement of one differentiated somatic cell type with another differentiated somatic cell type in the same tissue
- cervix cells turn from columnar to squamous
The basic cell type of the endocervix is columnar epithelial cells that secrete mucus. If the columnar epithelial cells are exposed to the acidic pH of the vagina they undergo metaplasia, which is the change from one cell type to another (columnar to squamous). Alternatively, if a patient is infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), what can happen to the cells of the cervix?
- cells change in a gene mutated manner
- called dysplasia (abnormal development of cells)
What is the name of the junction where the endocervix and ectocervix meet?
1 - transformation zone
2 - endocervix
3 - ectocervix
4 - squamocolumnar junction
4 - squamocolumnar junction
The junction where the endocervix and ectocervix meet is called the squamocolumnar junction SCJ). The position of this changes throughout a woman’s life. During childhood, where the SCJ will be in its original position, what is the location of the SCJ?
1 - very close to the external OS below the internal OS
2 - located in the ectocervix far away from the external OS
3 - progressively moves closer to the external OS
4 - retracts and moves back into the endocervical canal
1 - very close to the external OS below the internal OS
The junction where the endocervix and ectocervix meet is called the squamocolumnar junction SCJ). The position of this changes throughout a woman’s life. Following puberty and as the woman moves into pregnancy bearing age, where does the SCJ move to from its original position?
1 - very close to the external OS below the internal OS
2 - located in the ectocervix far away from the external OS
3 - progressively moves closer to the external OS
4 - retracts and moves back into the endocervical canal
2 - located in the ectocervix far away from the external OS
The junction where the endocervix and ectocervix meet is called the squamocolumnar junction SCJ). The position of this changes throughout a woman’s life. During menopause, what is the location of the SCJ?
1 - very close to the external OS below the internal OS
2 - located in the ectocervix far away from the external OS
3 - progressively moves closer to the external OS
4 - retracts and moves back into the endocervical canal
4 - retracts and moves back into the endocervical canal
- due to lack of estrogen
The junction where the endocervix and ectocervix meet is called the squamocolumnar junction SCJ). The position of this changes throughout a woman’s life. During perimenopause, what is the location of the SCJ?
1 - very close to the external OS below the internal OS
2 - located in the ectocervix far away from the external OS
3 - progressively moves closer to the external OS
4 - retracts and moves back into the endocervical canal
3 - progressively moves closer to the external OS
Metaplasia is the term used to describe when one cell type changes into another, and this occurs when the columnar cells become squamous cells when exposed to the acidic vaginal pH. This causes the the squamocolumnar junction (where endocervical (columnar) and ectocervix (squamous) meet to move throughout a woman’s life. What is the movement of the squamocolumnar junction called?
1 - eversion
2 - inversion
3 - migration
4 - hyperplasia
1 - eversion