Week 5 Flashcards
What is the main cause of cervical cancer? What are the two main types of cervical cancer?
Persistent infection with high-risk Human Papillomavirus
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (~85%)
Adenocarcinoma (~10-15%)
What is the purpose of cervical screening?
To detect pre-cancerous changes (dyskaryosis) before they develop into cancer.
What are common diagnostic methods for cervical abnormalities?
Pap smear (Cytology) – Examines cell abnormalities
Histology – Examines tissue samples
HPV Testing – Detects high-risk HPV strains
What is Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN)? and stages?
A grading system for pre-cancerous cervical cell changes.
CIN1: Mild changes, affecting 1/3 of the cervical tissue
CIN2: Moderate changes, affecting 2/3 of the cervical tissue
CIN3: Severe changes, affecting the full thickness of the tissue
What is dyskaryosis?
The presence of abnormal nuclei in cervical cells, an early sign of malignancy.
What are common cellular changes seen in HPV infections?
Koilocytosis – Enlarged nuclei, perinuclear halos, and multinucleation.
What are the main treatments for pre-cancerous cervical changes?
LLETZ (Loop Excision) – Most common
Cryotherapy – Freezes abnormal cells
Laser ablation – Burns away affected tissue
Cone biopsy – Removes a wedge of cervical tissue
What is Gardasil 9?
HPV vaccine
What are the main cell types found in the cervix?
Squamous cells (outer cervix)
Columnar cells (inner cervix, glandular)
Transformation zone (most at risk for HPV infection)
What is the transformation zone?
The area where squamous and columnar cells meet, a common site for cervical cancer development.
What is the primary function of the cervix?
Supports pregnancy
Produces mucus (helps sperm movement or blocks it based on the menstrual cycle)
Protects against infections
How does a cervical cell become cancerous?
HPV infection causes DNA damage
E6 & E7 viral proteins inactivate tumor suppressor genes (p53, pRB)
Cells lose apoptosis control and start dividing abnormally
What is the main purpose of a Pap smear?
To detect abnormal cells (dyskaryosis) before they become cancerous.
What is Colposcopy?
A procedure using a magnifying device to examine the cervix for abnormal cells.
What is Dysplasia?
Abnormal changes in the size, shape, and organization of cells, especially epithelial cells—can be a precancerous condition.
What is the difference between Cytology and Histology?
Cytology: Minimally invasive, same-day results, cell-level analysis.
Histology: Invasive, more detailed, tissue-level analysis.
PAP stain
A multichromatic stain used to visualize cervical cells
How does HPV cause cancer?
Via viral proteins E6 and E7, which bind and inactivate tumor suppressors:
What are Koilocytes?
Cells infected with HPV, characterized by:
Enlarged, irregular nuclei
Condensed cytoplasm
What is Anisokaryosis?
Variation in nuclear size and shape—common in dysplastic or cancerous cells.
