Repro 3 Flashcards
Endometrial cancer
Classically seen in post menopausal women, but 25% occur before the menopause. Good prognosis due to early detection. Majority are adenocarcinomas
Endometrial cancer risk factors
- obesity
- nulliparity
- 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
- Family history of endometrial, ovarian, breast, or colorectal cancer, Lynch syndrome
- hereditary non-polyposis colorectal carcinoma
- COCP and smoking are protective
Endometrial cancer features
- Postmenopausal bleeding- slight and intermittent before becoming more heavy
- Premenopausal women may have a change in intermenstrual bleeding or Menorrhagia
- Pain is not common and signifies extensive disease
- Vaginal discharge is unusual
- Abdo discomfort or bloating, weight loss, anaemia
- Rarely: bowel and urinary changes
- On bimanual examination: enlarged uterus
Endometrial cancer investigations
- women >= 55 years who present with postmenopausal bleeding should be referred using the suspected cancer pathway
- first-line investigation is trans-vaginal ultrasound - >5mm high risk of cancer
- Staging: CT and MRI
- hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy
- Bimanual and speculum exam
- Staged using FIGO system
Endometrial cancer management
- Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with lymphadenectomy. Patients with high-risk disease may have postoperative radiotherapy
- progestogen therapy is sometimes used in frail elderly women not considered suitable for surgery
- Rarely if young and wish to preserve fertility: progestin(e.g. low dose megestrol) and intensive monitoring using endometrial sampling every 3-6 months.
Endometrial cancer red flags
- bleeding in between periods, after sex or after the menopause
- heavier periods
- abnormal vaginal discharge
- Thrombocytosis with visible haematuria or vaginal discharge in 55 or older
Endometrial cancer: criteria for referral
- 2WW: women >55 with post menopausal bleeding
- Referral for TV US in woman >55: unexplained vaginal discharge, visible haematuria plus raised platelets, anaemia or elevated glucose levels
Endometriosis definition and common sites
Definition: presence of endometrial like tissue outside the uterus, which induces a chronic inflammatory reaction
About 2-10% of the population and 50% of infertile women.
Common sites: pelvic organs, peritoneum, occasionally other parts of the body like lungs
Endometriosis clinical features
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Secondary dysmenorrhoea: pain often starts days before bleeding
- Deep dyspareunia
- Subfertility
- Non-gynaecological: urinary symptoms e.g. dysuria, urgency, haematuria. Dyschezia (painful bowel movements)
- Chronic fatigue
- Can be asymptomatic. Little correlation between stage and type/severity of pain symptoms
Endometriosis on examination
- tender nodularity in the posterior vaginal fornix
- visible vaginal endometriotic lesions.
- Fixed retroverted uterus
- Endometriomas: tender, nodular masses
Endometriosis risk factors
- Age
- Increased peripheral body fat
- Greater exposure to menstruation
- Family history
- Protective factors-smoking ,cocp , exercise
Endometriosis investigations
- Laparoscopy is the gold-standard investigation
- Examination: possible lass (endometiomas), fixed retroverted uterus with nodules in the uterosacral ligaments in severe disease
- Transvaginal US: often normal but may identify an ovarian endometrioma
- MRI, trans rectal USS, Ba enema (for bowel symptoms)
Endometriosis management- mild
- NSAIDs and/or paracetamol for symptomatic relief
- If analgesia doesn’t help then hormonal treatment like the COCP or progesterone i.e. medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-provero) should be tried. Can take the COCP back to back
- Refer to secondary care if symptoms don’t improve or if fertility is a priority
Endometriosis management- secondary care
- GnRH analodues- said to induce a ‘psuedomenopause’ due to low oestrogen levels.
- Dual therapy does not significantly affect fertility
- Surgery: if not responding to medicine. When trying to conceive use laparoscopic excision or ablation of endometriosis plus adhesiolysis. Ovarian cystectomy is also an option
Medication for endometriosis
- Treat with - adequate analgesia(NSAID,S)
- Hormonal treatment- COCP
- Progestogens
- Anti progestogens
- GnRH agonists
- For pain from rectovaginal endometriosis refractory to other medical or surgical treatment- Consider Aromatase inhibitors in combination with oral COCP, progestogens, or GnRH analogues
Endometriosis surgical treatment in order of severity
- At laparoscopy identified-surgically treat (see and treat).
- Consider both ablation and excision of peritoneal endometriosis and removal of adhesions (adhesiolysis)
- SURGICAL INTERRUPTION OF PELVIC NERVEPATHWAY-(LUNA,PSN-)should not be performed.
- OVARIAN ENDOMETRIOMA-perform ovarian cystectomy
- DEEP Endometriosis-perform surgical removal –refer to centre of expertise
- Failure to respond to conservative treatment +family complete-consider HYSTERECTOMY+BSO and removal of all visible lesions
- ADHESION PREVENTION AFTER SURGERY-use oxidised regenerated cellulose
Endometriosis pathophysiology
metaplasia of coelomic epithelium and implantation of viable endometrial cells. Retrograde menstruation.
Endometriosis: pre and post operative hormonal treatment
- Do not prescribe pre or post operative hormonal treatment except for pain
- After surgery prescribe a LNG-IUS or a combined hormonal contraception for 18-24 months for secondary prevention of endometriosis associated dysmenorrhoea but not for pain.
Complications of endometriosis
- Surgery: Infertility, adhesion formation
- Epithelial cell ovarian cancer