Week 6 - B - Pathology of the Cervix, Vulva&Vagina - Cervical ectropian, Nabothian follicles, Cervical Neplasia, Vulva&Vagina Neoplasia Flashcards
The outermost layer of human skin (keratin layer of the epidermis) is composed of dead stratified squamous, keratinized epithelial cells.
What is the difference between the epithelium of the ectocervix and the skin?
The epithelium of the ectocervix is composed of stratified squamous non-keratinizing epithelium
What are the cells that are taken from the ectocervix for the cervical smear?
It is the exfoliating cells of the ectocervix which are taken during a cervical smear
What does the word stratified when describing epithelium signify? What does the word sqaumous signify about the cells?
Stratified signifies two or more layers of epithelial cells Squamous signifies flattened cells
As we move up the cervical canal we reach the transformation zone and then the endocervix What is the cell type in the endocervix? What is the transformation zone?
* Endocervix - cell type is columnar epithelium
* Ectocervix - cell type squamous (stratified) epithelium
Transformation zone (TZ) – Squamo-columnar junction between ectocervical (squamous) and endocervical (columnar) epithelia
The position of the transformation zone alters during life as a physiological response to what?
- Menarche
- Pregnancy
- Menopause
Which area of the cervix is the area which is predisposed to malignant change?
It is the transformation zone of the cervix that is predisposed to malignant change
What is cervical ectropion? What is it also known as?
Cervical ectropion is a normal phenomenon where the glandular (columnar) epithelium (of the endocervix) are present on the ectocervix (where stratified squamous cells are) It is also known as cervical eversion
What causes cervical ectropion?
Some woman are born with the condition cervical ectropion whereas it can be caused by: Hormonal changes - meaning it can be common in young women Pregnancy Taking the combined pill to protect from pregnnacy
How does pregnancy, taking the combined pill to protect from pregnancy and hormone changes in young women lead to cervical ectropion?
This is because there is an increase in oestrogen during these times - this causes the cervical os to open exposing the endocervical cells to the ectocervix
Why is that the cervix looks red raw in a cervical ectropion?
The area that the columnar cells move onto in the ectropion is red because columnar cells are red - giving the raw appearance
As columnar epithelium is soft and glandular, it is prone to bleeding, excess mucus production and infection If these complications of the cervical ectropion are a nuisance, what can be used as treatmnet? Usually no treatment is required in this condition
The cervical ectropion can be treated by:
- * Discontinuing the oral contraceptive pill (therefore the oestrogen production is not there to allow the cervix to increase mucus producton)
- Or * Cryocautery - a procedure that uses very cold temperatures to treat abnormalities of the female genital tract in addition to other areas of the body such as the skin. Very cold temperatures cause tissue destruction just as very hot temperatures
The squamocolumnar junction, where the columnar secretory epithelium of the endocervical canal meets the stratified squamous covering of the ectocervix, is located at the external os before puberty. As estrogen levels rise during puberty, the cervical os opens, exposing the endocervical columnar epithelium onto the ectocervix. This area of columnar cells on the ectocervix forms an area that is red and raw in appearance called an ectropion How does the cervical ectropion become normal squamous cells?
The cervical ectropion changes from the columnar cells due to the exposure of the delicate endocervical epithelium to the acidic environment of the acid leading to squamous metaplasia
Cervical ectropion - normal due to increase in oestrogen (hormones entering puberty, contraceptive for pregnancy, pregnancy itself) - red raw appearance of cervix due to red glandular tissue - the glandular tissue goes through squamous metaplasia due to the vaginal acid environment What are the symptoms of cervical ectropion? Symptoms can be treated by discontinuation of the pill or by cryocautery
Symtpoms Can be associated with excessive but non-purulent vaginal discharge due to the increased area of columnar epithelium containing mucus secreting glands (glandular epithelium) Can also have post-coital bleeding - the columnar epithelium is very delicate Prone to infection due to being delicate
What is squamous metaplasia? State an example of columnar metaplsia?
Squamous metaplasia is the bengin change of a type of epithelium to squamous morphology Baret’s oesopahgus - the columnar cells of the stomach invade the lower 1/3rd of the oesophagus lead the oeosphageal lining being replaced by the intestine like columnar cells
A nabothian cyst (or nabothian follicle) is a mucus-filled cyst on the surface of the cervix. What is the usual cause of the nabothian cyst (follicle)?
It is usually caused when stratified squamous epithelium grows over the columnar epithelium of the endocervix - this tissue can block the cervical crypts resulting in trapped cervical mucus - leading to the endocervical glands swelling up and becoming cysts
Nabothian cysts are considered harmless and usually disappear on their own, although some will persist indefinitely What is the usual treatment for the nabothian cyst?
As the cysts are harmless they are usually not treated If the cysts are discharging, cryocautery may be used
Cervical pathology is usually inflammatory or neoplasia Two inflammatory conditions are cervicitis or cervical polyps What is cervicitis?
This is inflammation of the cervix possibly resulting in vaginal discharge
WHat is the usual causative agents of cervicitis?
Cerviciits is most commonly caused by Chlamydia trachomatis (up to 50% of cases) but can be cause by neisseria gonorrhea (and other organisms less commonly)
Describe the symptoms of cervicits? What can cervicitis lead to?
Cervicitis is often asymptomatic - can however present with a discharge - be it follicular or mucopurulent Also pain during sex or a foul smell and abnormal vaginal bleeding Cervicits can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) if not diagnosed and treated - can cause infertility due to damage to the fallopian tubes
What is the definitive test for diagnosing chlamydia and gonorrhea in patients with cervicits?
Definitive test would be to carry out NAAT - nucleic acid amplification testing to determine whether the patient had cervicitis or not
What is the treatment of cervicitis if there is chlamydia or gonorrhea diagnosed?
Chlamydia diagnoses - would treat with azithromycin 1g stat (can use doxyclince but required week long treatment) Gonoccoal infection - Ceftriaxone IM and azithromycin orally
Cervical polyp is a localised inflammatory growth What can the presenting symptoms of a cervical polyp be? Are cervcal polyps usually found in the endo or ectocervix?
A cervical polyp is a common benign polyp or tumour on the surface of the cervical canal - usually doesn’t show symptoms Cervical polyp is usually found in the endocervix Symptoms - can present with a mucus discharge or post-coital bleeding
99% of cervical polyps will remain benign and 1% will at some point show neoplastic change. Cervical polyps are unlikely to regrow. What can be done to confirm the nature of the growth in the cervix? Ie to confirm that it is a polyp
Dilation and curettage (dilate the cervix and then curettage) - A D&C may help diagnose or treat growths such as fibroids, polyps, hormonal imbalances, or uterine cancer. A sample of uterine tissue is viewed under a microscope to check for abnormal cells.
When is the dilation and curettage usually carried out for a cervical polyp?
IN younger woman - the cervical polyp can simply be avulsed Dilatation and curettage is usually done in older woman to exclude intrauterine pathology
Cervical pathology
- .Neoplastic
- * Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN)
- * Cervical Cancer
- * Squamous carcinoma
- * Adenocarcinoma
What is the most common type of cervical carcinoma?
Squamous type carcinoma account for 75-95% of malignant cervical tumours Adenocarcinoma account for 5-25% of malignant cervical tumours
Many different types of cervical cancer but squamous and adenocarcinoma are commonest What is the pre-invasive type of cervical carcinoma known as?
The pre-invasive type of cervical cancer is known as Cervical Intrapeithelial Neoplasia
The human papilloma virus has a circular, double stranded DNA, protected by capsid proteins What is a capsid?
A capsid is the protein shell of a virus Capsid is the green Remember HPV is a double stranded DNA
Infection by HPV infects epithelial cells in the cervical mucosa. HPV then integrates into the cellular genome to cause cervical cancer. What are the two main types of HPV causing cervical cancers? Account for approx 70% of HPV cancers
The two main types are HPV 16 and 18
What is the vaccine that protects against cervical cancers? Who is it given to?
The vaccine is known as gardasil - protects against HPV strains 6,11,16 and 18 Given to females aged 12-13 years - 2 injections 6 months apart
Infection by HPV affects the epithelial cells – HPV can undergo vral replication causing changes in the nucleus – the virus moves t the surface and therefore is present in the surface exfoliating cells 90% of women heal within two years A small percentage (0.8) go on to develop cancer - we can treat the people What cells do HPV infect to start the spread of their replication?
HPV infects the basal cells of the tissue The basal cells are where the mitoses of cells is in normal epithelium before the new cells then spread to the top of the epithelium