Week 4 - Female Breast/GU Flashcards
When does the reproductive development diverge (differentiate between male & female)?
~7 weeks
What is the endocervix lined by prior to puberty?
Columnar (glandular) epithelium
Describe what happens to the cervix during its growth after puberty?
Squamo-columnar junction is everted into the vagina & the squamous epithelium adapts to the vaginal environment by squamous metaplasia in the ‘transformation zone’
What are the post pubertal cervical changes reversed by?
Menopause
Describe the clinical significance of the cervical ‘transformation zone’?
Unstable differentiation is where most cervical neoplasia develop
What is thought to be a necessary cause of cervical cancer & precancer?
Persisting infection with an oncogenic strain of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
What are the 2 prevalent strains of HPV in glasgow?
HPV 16 & 18
Where are the cervical cells taken from for cytological screening?
Cervical transformation zone
What is a cervical cytological screening designed to detect?
Changes associated with HPV infection & Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia
What are dyskaryosis?
Nuclear abnormalties
What does the presence of dyskaryosis suggest?
CIN
What does the presence of dyskaryosis prompt?
Referral to colposcopy clinic for biopsy to detect CIN
Does CIN have symptoms?
NO
Who should undergo cervical cytology screening?
Current policy in Scotland is that women aged 25 -65 are invited. That is inclusive of those that have been vaccinated
How often should women be screened cervically when 25-50 years old?
3 yearly
How often should women be screened cervically when 50-65 years old?
5 yearly
What colour are the cervical superficial squamous cells stained?
Pink
What colour are the cervical intermediate cells stained?
Blue
When would you repeat smear screening if it came back negative?
Routinely in 3 years
When would you repeat smear screening if it came back with a borderline nuclear abnormality?
6 months later (X3 Borderline nuclear abnormality refer colposcopy)
What would you do if a smear screening test came back with a low/high grade dyskaryosis?
Refer to colposcopy
What would you do if a smear screening test came back with a glandular abnormality?
Refer to colposcopy
What would you do if a smear screening test came back with features suggestive of invasion?
Urgent referral to colposcopy
What type of HPV vaccination (aimed at 12/13year old girls) is Scotland now using?
Quadrivalent vaccine to cover against HPV 6, 11, 16 & 18
What is HPV testing easier with?
Liquid based cytology
What is HPV testing more sensitive than?
Cytology
What can HPV testing be used effectively in?
Primary screening in women aged over 30 years
HPV tests are very ______, which at present reduced ______?
- Sensitive
- Specificity
What does high risk HPV in the cervix increase the risk of?
CIN
What is Gardasil?
HPV vaccination that targets high risk HPV 6,11,16,18
What is the downfall of HPV vaccination?
Likely to be important in the long run but
cannot be assumed that it will prevent all cervical cancer
Does most HPV infection progress to CIN or cancer?
NO
Describe the colposcopy procedure?
- Cervix visualised
- Washed with acetic acid
- Application of Iodine
- Green light filter
- Abnormal area can be biopsied or treatment performed at the time or at a further appointment
What are more than 99% of cervical carcinomas associated with?
HPV infection
Describe what the early genes (E1 –> E7) in HPV infection do?
Interact with intracellular molecules to interfere with cell proliferation machinery to replicate the virus
Describe what the late genes (L1 & L2) in HPV infection do?
- Encode capsid proteins
- Disruption of cell cycle checkpoints may contribute to accumulation of oncogenic mutations & carcinogenesis
What does BNA stand for in HPV infection?
Borderline nuclear abnormality
What types of cells are commonly found on histology of HPV?
Koilocytes
Describe the histology of low grade squamous dyskaryosis?
- Normal
- Nuclear:cytoplasmic upto 1/2
- CIN1
Describe the histology of high grade (moderate) squamous dyskaryosis?
- Nuclear:cytoplasmic from 1/2 to 2/3
- CIN2
Describe the histology of high grade (severe) dyskaryosis?
- Nuclear enlargement with dense hyperchromasia & course chromatin clumping
- CIN3
What are the 2 means of treatment for cervical abnormalities?
- Bipolar tubal coagulation
2. Post cold coagulation
What are the 2 immediate complications of cervical treatments (bipolar coagulation & post cold coagulation)?
- Pain
2. Haemorrhage
What are the 4 delayed complications of cervical treatments (bipolar coagulation & post cold coagulation)?
- Secondary haemorrhage (1-2%)
- Infection
- Cervical stenosis (~1%)
- No good evidence of impact on fertility
What is the cervical screening programmed designed to pick up specifically?
Squamous lesions
What is the name given for endocervical glandular epithelium that undergoes premalignant change?
Cervical Glandular Intraepithelial Neoplasia (cGIN )
What is the name given for malignant change in glandular epithelium?
Adenocarcinoma
What is a histological feature of an endocervical abnormality?
Pseudostratification
What else can a smear test pick up?
Endometrial abnormalities
What should always happen when a patient presents with post menopausal bleeding?
Referred to gynaecology for endometrial biopsy
What are the 5 possible symptoms of cervical cancer?
- NONE
- Pain
- Post coital bleeding
- Intermenstrual bleeding
- Irregular vaginal bleeding
Describe how invasive squamous carcinoma of the cervix develops?
Almost always develops from pre-existing CIN, but not all CIN will become squamous cancer
What type of CIN are more likely to progress to cancer?
CIN2 & CIN3
What is another term for CIN?
Squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL)
Describe the histology of invasive squamous cell carcinoma?
- Blood & polymorphs
- Squamous cells take on bizarre shapes
- Late stage
- Basement membrane has been breached and malignant cells penetrate the stroma
What can lead to atopic vaginitis?
Low oestrogen after menopause
List the 5 signs & symptoms of atopic vaginitis?
- Discomfort
- Dyspareunia (painful sex)
- Bleeding
- Polyps
- Cysts
What does VAIN stand for?
Vaginal intra-epithelial neoplasia
What are 2 uncommon vaginal cancers?
- Vaginal intra-epithelial neoplasia (VAIN)
2. Squamous carcinoma
What can primary cancers of the cervix/ vulva also involve?
The vagina
What 5 infections can cervical smear tests also identify?
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Thrush (candida albicans)
- Trichomonas vaginalis
- Actinomyces
- Herpes Simplex
How is Trichomonas vaginalis usually transmitted?
Sexually transmitted
What is a common bacteria associated with the IUD contraceptive coil?
Actinomyces
List 8 possible pathologies associated with the female vulva?
- Inflammatory dermatoses
- Skin tumours
- Skin tags
- Melanocytic nevi
- Benign cysts
- Candidiasis (thrush)
- Lichen planus
- Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus
Describe Vulva Candidiasis (thrush)?
- Common
- May be associated with pregnancy or diabetes
- Bartholin’s vestibular gland cysts may become infected with abscess formation
What are Lichen planus
& Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus?
Non-infective inflammations of the vulva
What region is Lichen Sclerosus especially associated with?
Anogenital region
What 2 things are Vulval Squamous Cell Carcinoma’s associated with?
- Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN)
2. Dermatoses
What age group is more prevalent for Vulval Squamous Cell Carcinoma’s associated with VIN?
Exclusively in females less than 60 years old
What are Vulval Squamous Cell Carcinoma’s associated with VIN usually related to?
High risk type HPV 16/18
What is the appearance of Vulval Squamous Cell Carcinoma’s associated with VIN?
Warty or Basaloid
What age group is more prevalent for Vulval Squamous Cell Carcinoma’s associated with dermatoses?
Older age group- most over 60, many over 70
Describe Vulval Squamous Cell Carcinoma’s associated with dermatoses?
- Well differentiated & keratinising
- Not associated with HPV infection or VIN
- Adjacent squamous hyperplasia &/or lichen sclerosus common
Describe the risk of malignancy in Vulval Lichen Sclerosus?
- Generally low
- But subtle non-HPV related entity called ‘differentiated VIN’ may have a much greater risk of progression
What % of vulval cancers are thought to be HPV dependent?
20%
What amount of cervical squamous cancer is HPV dependent?
Almost all
What may vulval HPV- associated intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) develop into?
Invasive squamous carcinoma
What may the squamous epithelium of the vagina & perianal skin be affected by?
Pre-neoplastic field change
What 2 places could you find ectopic breast tissue?
- Axilla
2. Vulva
How is the nipple formed?
Evagination of the mammary pit
What is premature thelarche?
- Girls who develop small breasts typically before the age of 3 years
- They do not have other signs of puberty
Describe how breasts are developed?
- During puberty
- Cyclical oestrogen & progesterone
- Duct elongation & stromal development
- Lobuloalveolar differentiation
- Continues for a decade, enhanced by pregnancy
What 3 things does Duct elongation & stromal development dependant on?
- Oestrogen
- Glucocorticoids
- Growth hormone
What 3 things is Lobuloalveolar differentiation dependant on?
- Progesterone
- Insulin
- Growth Hormone
Describe the hormonal variation of breast development during the 4 phases of the menstrual cycle?
- Proliferation in Proliferative phase (3-7)
- Decreases in Follicular phase (8-14)
- Myoepithelial changes & proliferation in Luteal phase (15-20)
- Secretory changes in Secretory phase
Describe breast development during pregnancy?
- Early pregnancy lobular enlargement & stromal depletion
- Continued lobular enlargement & secretory change
- Post lactational involution (3 months)
What are the 3 breast developmental abnormalities?
- Hypoplasia/Amastia
- Macromastia
- Polymastia/Polythelia
Describe Breast Amastia?
Condition where breast tissue, nipple, & areola is absent, either congenitally or iatrogenically
Describe Breast Macromastia?
Condition of abnormal enlargement of the breast tissue in excess of the normal proportion
Describe Breast Polymastia?
Condition of having an additional breast, may appear with or without nipples or areolae
Describe Breast Polythelia?
Presence of an additional nipple alone
Describe the population breast screening programme?
- All women 50-70years
- 2 view mammography
- Recalled every 3 years
Describe 6 ways to perform breast screening?
- Xray
- Recall
- Examination
- Lump, asymmetry, distortion, calcification
- Needle biopsy
- Open biopsy
List the 4 symptomatic reasons why someone would get breast screening?
- Breast lump
- Treat pain
- Nipple discharge
- Skin changes
What is the breast triple assessment?
- Clinical history
- Examination
- Imaging (MMG, US, MRI)
- Needle biopsy
What are the 3 PROS of breast fine needle aspirate?
- Relatively easy
- Only mild trauma
- Immediate report at clinic
What are the 3 CONS of breast fine needle aspirate?
- No architecture, insitu or invasive
- Requires trained cytologist
- False positives/negatives
What are the 2 PROS of breast core biopsy?
- Differentiates between insitu & invasive
2. Fewer false positives/negatives
What are the 2 CONS of breast core biopsy?
- Takes 24hrs to process & no immediate report
2. More local trauma
What are the 5 reasons for doing a breast core biopsy?
- Gives tissue diagnosis with architecture
- Allows correlation with Mammogram
- Visualises calcification
- Allows diagnosis of borderline lesions
- Enables accurate planning of definitive surgery
What are the 5 classifications for breast fine needle aspiration (FNA)?
- C1- insufficient
- C2- Benign
- C3- Atypia Probably Benign
- C4- Atypia probably malignant
- C5- Malignant
What are the 5 classifications for breast core biopsy?
- B1- Normal tissue/ insufficient for diagnosis
- B2- Benign
- B3- Atypia probably benign
- B4- Atypia probably malignant
- B5a/b- Malignant
Give 2 examples of benign breast lesion?
- Fibroadenoma
2. Fibrocystic
Describe a Fibroadenoma benign breast lesion?
- Young women 20-30
- Discrete mobile lump
- Lesion of stroma & epithelium
Describe fibroadenomatoid lesions?
- Well defined rounded opacity
- C2 FNA classification
- B2/B3 core biopsy classificaiton
Give 3 examples of fibroadenomatoid lesions?
- Fibrodenoma
- Fibroadenomatoid lesion
- Phyllodes tumour
Describe a Phyllodes breast tumour?
- Typically large
- Fast-growing masses
- Form from the periductal stromal cells of the breast
- Pleomorphisim
- Stromal Overgrowth
- Necrosis
What are the 3 types of Phllodes breast tumour?
- Benign
- Borderline
- Malignant (treat as sarcoma)
What should you always remember when treating Phyllodes breast tumour?
Never shell out
Describe a fibrocystic benign breast lesion?
- 30-40years
- Cyclical Variation
- May be painful
- Fibrosis, cysts, apocrine change, epithelial hyperplasia & columnar cell change
What is a Radial scar?
Form of sclerosing duct hyperplasia/ parenchymal distortion
What 2 ways would you diagnose a radial scar?
- Core biopsy to exclude carcinoma
2. Excision biopsy
List 5 ways to differentiate between a radial scar and tubular carcinoma?
- Pattern
- Shape of tubules
- Myoepithelial cells
- CK5, SMA, P63
- Calponin, SMM, CD10
What is duct ectasia?
Condition in which the lactiferous duct becomes blocked or clogged & can mimic breast cancer
List the 5 signs & symptoms of duct ectasia?
- Nipple discharge/inversion
- Pain
- Squamous metaplasia of lactiferous duct
- Mammary duct fistula
- Micro dilated ducts & inflammation changes
What is duct ectasia linked to?
Smoking
Describe the presentation of a breast papillary lesion?
Nipple discharge, blood stained +/- epithelial cells
Describe breast papillary lesion?
- Mass often central
- Microcalcification
- Cytology C1, 2, 3, 4, 5
What are 2 ways to diagnose a papillary lesion?
- Core biopsy
2. Papillary lesion excise
Describe a papilloma?
- Small wart-like growth
- Fibrovascular cores
- Epithelial & myoepithelial cells
- Hyperplasia
- Single/Multiple
Describe Pseudo angiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH)?
- Hard palpable lump
- Usually premenopausal
- Well defined mass on imaging
- Gross well circumscribed pseudo encapsulated mass
- Dense stroma with anatomizing channels lined by myofibroblasts
What is the differential diagnosis of Pseudo angiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH)?
Angiosarcoma
Describe Granulomatous mastitis?
- Mean age 33 years
- Distinct hard mass
- Usually parous
- Contraceptive pill effect?
What is granulomatous mastitis?
Confluent inflammation with abscess formation centred on lobules
List 6 potential causes for granulomatous mastitis?
- TB
- Sarcoid
- Fungal/atypical mycobacterial
- Cat scratch disease
- Vasculitis
- Carcinoma associated granulomas
What fine needle aspirate classification is granulomatous mastitis?
C5 or false positive
What is the management of Granulomatous mastitis?
- Spontaneous resolution
- NSAID’s
- Steroids
What should you avoid in Granulomatous mastitis?
Open biopsy
Describe Diabetic mastopathy?
- Ill defined hard mass.
- Usually < 30yrs
- Dense keloid like stroma
- Perilobular & vascular lymphocytes
Give 2 examples of atypical breast proliferations?
- Atypical ductal hyperplasia
2. Atypical lobular hyperplasia
How many women does breast carcinoma approximately affect?
1:10
What are the 3 risk factors for breast carcinoma?
- Age- 40-70years
- Family history- accounts for <5%
- Hormone environment- menstruation, pregnancy, breast feeding, hormone replacement
Describe an insitu breast carcinoma?
- Malignant proliferation of epithelial cells contained within the basement membrane
- NO extension into breast stroma
- No communication with blood vessels or lymphatics
- No possibility of metastases
Describe a breast ductal carcinoma in situ?
- Most are mammographically detected
- May present with lump, nipple discharge or Pagets Disease
What happens if breast ductal carcinoma in situ is left untreated?
30% will develop invasive carcinoma in 15 years
Describe the prognosis of breast ductal carcinoma in situ?
With adequate surgical treatment prognosis is excellent
What is the 3 part treatment for breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)?
- Complete Excision
- Mastectomy +/- Reconstruction
- Local Excision & Radiotherapy
Describe how breast Lobular Carcinomas in situ are detected?
Chance finding in breast biopsies no clinical or mammographic features
Describe the presentation of breast Lobular Carcinomas in situ?
Usually multifocal & bilateral
What is the risk factor of breast Lobular Carcinomas insitu?
- Developing invasive cancer in either breast
- 10x greater risk than general population
Describe the management of breast Lobular Carcinomas insitu?
Regular follow up via Bilateral mastectomy
What is the most common type of breast cancer (>70%)?
Invasive ductal carcinoma
Describe the appearance of Invasive ductal carcinoma?
- Variable histology
- Infiltrating cells in sheets cord & tubules
What Invasive ductal carcinoma grading system gives an indication of survival?
Bloom & Richardson Grading
What are the 3 morphological features for all types of breast cancers?
- Tubules
- Pleomorphism
- Mitoses
What makes up 10% of all invasive breast carcinomas?
Lobular carcinoma
Describe the appearance of Lobular carcinoma?
- Signet ring cells & diffusely infiltrative
- Often multicentric & bilateral
Describe the prognosis of Lobular carcinoma?
Usually grade 2 & ER positive (85% 5yr survival)
What makes up 3% of all breast carcinomas?
Tubular carcinoma
Describe the appearance of Tubular carcinoma?
- Well differentiated
- Grade 1
What % of Tubular carcinoma have a 5 year survival?
95%
What is the most common breast cancer in over 75 year olds?
Mucinous/Mucoid carcinoma
Describe the appearance of Mucinous/Mucoid carcinoma?
- Well circumscribed tumour with lakes of mucin
- Well differentiated cells
What % of Mucinous/Mucoid carcinoma have a 5 year survival?
90%
List the 2 types of routes for breast metastases?
- Lymphatics- axillary & internal mammary nodes
2. Blood spread- lungs, bone, liver, brain etc
What should you do in all invasive cancers?
Ultrasound axilla
What should you do when the ultrasound shows abnormal axillary nodes?
Core biopsy
What should you do if the axillary node core biopsy comes back positive?
Axillary clearance
What should you do if the axillary node core biopsy comes back negative?
Sentinel Node biopsy with isotope & blue dye
What are the 5 pathological prognostic features of breast cancer?
- Size of tumour
- Type of tumour
- Grade of tumour
- Node status
- Hormone receptor status
What are the 2 hormone receptors affected in breast cancer?
- ER (oestrogen receptor)
2. PR (progesterone receptor)
What scoring system detects which hormone receptors are affected in breast cancer?
Allred score
- Intensity 1-3
- Proportion 1-5
What is the Nottingham Prognostic index & what does it do?
- Provides an estimate of prognosis in an individual
- Determines treatment & follow up
- Application of indices based on significant factors
- Allows stratification of treatment in controlled trials & evaluation of therapies
Describe the 3 factors involved in the Nottingham Prognostic index?
- Grade 1-3: grade 1= 1 point, grade 3= 3 points
- Nodal status: 0 nodes= 1 point, 1-3 nodes= 2 points, 4+ nodes= 3 points
- Size: cm x 0.2
What is the NPI for a good prognostic breast carcinoma group?
NPI <3.4
What is the NPI for an intermediate prognostic breast carcinoma group?
NPI 3.41 - 5.4
What is the NPI for a poor prognostic breast carcinoma group?
NPI >5.4
What are the 6 means of treatment for Invasive breast carcinomas?
- Mastectomy
- Lumpectomy + radiotherapy
- Axillary Surgery
- Hormone Therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted Therapy
What does HER2 stand for?
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2
What do 15-20% of breast cancers over-express?
HER2 gene
List 3 things that a HER2 over expression is associated with in breast cancer?
- Poor outcome
- May be related with response to chemo
- May be associated with poor response to hormone therapy
What treatment is available for HER2 positive breast cancer?
Trastuzumab (Herceptin)
What are 4 indicators of increased HER2 production?
- Increased gene copy number
- Increased mRNA transcription
- Increased cell surface receptor protein expression
- Increased release of receptor extracellular domain
List 4 other breast related malignancies?
- Metastatic disease
- Lymphoma
- Sarcoma
- Angiosarcoma
What are array studies?
Signature a collection of genes taken together to classify a distinct group of tumours
What are the 4 molecular subtypes for breast cancer?
- Luminal
- Her2
- Basal
- Normal
What are the 5 different oncotype differential diagnoses of breast cancer?
- ER
- HER2
- Proliferation
- Invasion
- House keeping
What is Oncotype Dx?
Tumor profiling test that helps determine the benefit of using chemotherapy in addition to hormone therapy to treat some estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cancers
What makes the foetus develop reproductively into a male?
Sex determining region Y (SRY) on the Y chromosome
Where do the gonads arise from?
Embryonic urogenital ridges
Where do the genital ducts arise from?
Paired mesonephric & paramesonephric ducts
What do the mesonephric (Wolffian) ducts develop into?
Male structures
What do the paramesonephric (Müllerian) ducts develop into?
Female structures
What does SRY direct in the male foetus?
Gonad to become a testis, with spermatogonia, Leydig & Sertoli cells
What does testosterone from the Leydig cells stimulate in the male foetus?
Development of mesonephric duct structures
What happens if the foetus does not have testosterone from the Leydig cells?
Mesonephric ducts atrophy