Gynae Cancers Flashcards
What are the types of cervical cancer? What is the aetiology and RFs for it?
Cervical cancer = 80% squamous cell carcinoma (from CIN or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) and 20% Adenocarcinoma (from CGIN or cervical glandular intra-epithelial neoplasia)
Aetiology =
-> HPV (types 16 and 18) in over 70% cases
RFs:
- > HPV = major
- > Minor = smoking, many sexual partners, early 1st intercourse, immunosuppression
How would cervical cancer present and in what age group?
Affects 45-50yo, 20% 65yo+
- 6% female malignancies
Sx:
- PV discharge, offensive or bloodstained e.g. PCB, IMB, PMB
- Deep dyspareunia
- Symptoms of late metastases e.g. SOB, DIC and FLAWS
- Metastasises to iliac LNs, not para-aortic
How is cervical cancer staged? How would you Ix suspected CC?
FIGO staging system
I = limited to cervix
II = extension to parametrical/uterus/vagina
III = extension to pelvic side wall and/or lower 1/3 vagina
IV = extension to adjacent organs or beyond true pelvis
Ix:
- > 2w urgent referral to cervical screening pathway
- > Bloods - FBC for anaemia, U&Es if obstructive picture, LFTs for metastasis, clotting, G&S
- > MRI scan (preferred over CT-CAP for CC but not for ovarian or endometrial)
How would you manage cervical cancer? [think stages]
Mx:
MDT approach
Stage Ia1 (micro invasive)
- Conservative
- LLETZ (large loop excision of the transformational zone), cone biopsy - follows smear pathway
Stage Ia2 to IIa (early stage)
- fertility sparing = radical trachelectomy (remove cervix) + bilateral pelvic node dissection
- Tumours less than and up to 4cm = radical hysterectomy + bilateral pelvic node dissection (Wertheim’s)
Stage IIb to IVa (locally advanced disease)
- Chemoradiation*
Stage IVb (metastatic disease)
- Combination chemotherapy (cisplatin-based)
- Single agent therapy and palliative care
*Radiotherapy can be external beam (10mins of delivery over 4w) or internal beam (brachytherapy - rods of radioactive selenium is inserted into the affected area)
What are complications of cervical cancer treatments?
Surgical risk e.g. in Wertheims hysterectomy
- Bladder dysfunction (atony) - common, may require intermittent self-catherisation
- Sexual dysfunction due tp vaginal shortening
- Lymphodema due to pelvic LN removal
Radiotherapy (used more than chemo)
- Lethargy, fatigue
- Infertility
- Skin erythema with external beam radiotherapy
- Incontinence, urgency, dyspareunia/vaginal stenosis
- Diarrhoea and malabsorption
What is the transformational zone and its significance?
Cervix = endocervix and ectocervix.
- > Endocervix (upper portion) has columnar epithelium
- > Ectocervix (lower portion) has squamous epithelium
Transformational zone is the area where the 2 epithelium join and where squamous cells change into columnar. Therefore, as it as an area for changing cells, it is where abnormal cells are most likely to occur
What is CIN and what are some risk factors for it, and who does it present in?
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia = pre-malignant cellular atypia within squamous epithelium of the cervix
- > FIGO stage 0 - i.e. BEFORE cervical cancer
- > RFs = smoking, multiple sexual partners, HIV, early age of first sexual intercourse
- > Peak age = 25-29 whereas CC is 45-50y
How can CC be prevented or caught early? What are some reasons for inadequate smears?
HPV vaccine (Gardasil) - against strains 6, 11, 16 and 18
- > For boys and girls aged 12-13
- > If pregnant, delay until 3m/+ post partum
Smear testing:
- > Under 25y - once, <6m before 25th birthday
- > 25-49 - every 3y
- > 50-65 - every 5y
- > 65+ - only if one of the last 3 tests was abnormal
- > High risk e.g. HIV+
- > Pregnancy - if due a test, reschedule until at least 3m/+ postpartum
Reasons for inadequate results = inflammation, age-related atrophic change and blood on smear
How would someone with CIN present?
Sx:
- Sx of cervical cancer so PV bleeding (IMB, PCB, PMB)
- Found on routine screening
What dysplastic changes would you see in CIN? [3] How would you stage CIN? How would you follow these patients up/Mx?
Dysplastic changes:
- Increased nucleus to cytoplasmic ratio
- Abnormal nuclei shape, size and density (dyskaryosis)
- Reduced cytoplasm
Stages of CIN:
- low grade = mild dysplasia only in lower 1/3 of epithelium
- high grade = moderate dysplasia affecting 2/3 epithelial thickness
- high grade = severe dysplasia extending to upper 1/3 epithelium –> risk of Ia1 FIGO
Ix:
- > Smear screening; outcome f/u:
- > If CIN 1 then HPV test and if +ve then = colposcopy, -ve = routine recall
- > CIN 2 + CIN 3 require urgent colposcopy (<2w) and then treatment
- > Inadequate sample - repeat up to 2x, refer to colposcopy
What are the different management options for CIN? What are complications of CIN + Tx?
Mx:
- Conservative for CIN1 - smear in 12m
- LLETZ or loop diathermy - removal of cells with thin wire loop which is heated by electricity and done under LA. SE’s = increased risk of miscarriage, cervical stenosis and incontinence, f/u smear difficulties
- Cone biopsy - done under GA, less used than LLETZ but done if a large area of tissue needs to be removed
- Other therapies: cryotherapy, laser , hysterectomy (requires a vault smear 6m and 18m later)
- F/u test of cure 6m later of a smear and HPV test: if +ve then repeat colposcopy to find residual/untreated CIN, if -ve then recall in 3y
Complications:
- Miscarriage and PTL
- CIN can progress to CC but may also spontaneously regress, especially if young
What is endometrial hyperplasia and what are some RFs for it?
EH = excess endometrial growth which usually occurs after the menopause and can progress to cancer. May be:
- EH without atypic = cells normal
- EH + atypia = cells abnormal
RFs:
- Increased age
- OESTROGEN exposure
- -> early menarche, late menopause
- -> Tamoxifen, HRT
- -> Nulliparous
- -> Sex-cord stromal ovarian tumours e.g. Granulosa cell tumour which secrete oestrogen
- -> High insulin levels e.g. PCOS and T2DM
- -> Obesity, smoking
- -> FHx of ovarian, bowel cancer, HNPCC, Lynch syndrome
How may someone present with endometrial hyperplasia? How would you Ix them?
Sx:
- PV bleeding, usually post menopausal bleeding (PMB)
Ix:
- > Full Hx and exam
- > 1st line = TVUSS if PMB
- – if endometrial lining >4mm post-menopausal (>10 if not) then hysteroscopy +/- biopsy
- > 2nd line [GOLD-standard] = Hysteroscopy under LA +/- pipelle biopsy (i.e. showing complex hyperplasia with atypia = premalignant condition), but now sonohysterography is slowly replacing it as method of visualisation
How would you manage patients with suspected EH? [After hysteroscopy and biopsy is carried out] + PACES counselling
Mx:
- If EH and no atypia:
- > Reverse RFs e.g. obesity, HRT
- > <5% risk of becoming malignant in 20y
- > Endometrial surveillance every 6m, biopsies recommended in high risk women
- > 1st line = progestogens e.g. LNG-IUS for 5y or oral continuous progestogens for minimum 6m
- > Hysterectomy is an option also
- If EH + atypia:
- > If don’t require fertility sparing then total hysterectomy and BSO if post-menopausal
- > Fertility preserving = LNG-IUS or 2nd line: oral progestogens
- > Regular endometrial surveillance with biopsies every 3m
PACES:
- Explain Dx - abnormal thickening of the endometrial/lining of the womb
- We are worried/take concern as there is a risk it could progress to cancer
- Explain Mx - depending if atypia or not
What is endometrial cancer? Who does it affect and what are some RFs?
Malignancy of the endometrial tissue = most common gynae malignancy in the UK (1% lifetime risk)
- Mean age 54yo; uncommon in those under <40yo
- Unclear aetiology but involves unopposed oestrogen stimulation of the endometrium, either endogenous or exogenous
- RFs = same as endometrial hyperplasia:
- Increased age
- OESTROGEN exposure
- -> early menarche, late menopause
- -> Tamoxifen, HRT, COCP
- -> Nulliparous
- -> Sex-cord stromal ovarian tumours e.g. Granulosa cell tumour which secrete oestrogen
- -> High insulin levels e.g. PCOS and T2DM
- -> Obesity, smoking
- -> FHx of ovarian, bowel cancer, HNPCC, Lynch syndrome
