Y4 Lectures Flashcards
Risk factors for vulval carcinoma?
HPV
Lichen sclerosis / lichen planus
Multiple sexual partners
Early first age of intercourse
Smoking
Vulval carcinomas are what type of cancers?
Squamous cell carcinoma
Symptoms of vulval carcinoma:
Common symptoms include: Pruritis, burning, soreness, bleeding, pain or a lump.
It is uncommon to find genital warts in postmenopausal women, hence any findings should be examined to rule out cancer. Most squamous cell carcinomas are unifocal andoccur on the labia majora.
Diagnosis of vulval carcinoma?
Keye’s punch biopsy
Treatment of vulval cancer?
- skim details
Surgical resection is gold standard.
- Wide local excision is recommended for small cancers.
- Partial radical vulvectomy is recommended for cancers that are confined to either side of the vulva, or the front or back only. This may mean that a large part of the vulva is removed. Usually, nearby lymph nodes are also removed.
- Complete radical vulvectomy is recommended for cancers that cover a large area of the vulva. The surgeon removes the entire vulva and the deep tissues around the vulva. Invariably the nearby lymph nodes are also removed.
Cell type of cervical cancer?
SCC
What viruses cause genital warts?
HPV 6 HPV 11
Cervical cancer risk factors:
HPV!!
- Smoking
- Other sexually transmitted infections
- Long-term(> 8 years) combined oral contraceptive pill use
- Immunodeficiency (e.g. HIV)
Clinical features of cervical cancer:
Most common symptom is abnormal vaginal bleeding (e.g post-coital, intermenstrual or post-menopausal).
Other features:
- Vaginal discharge (blood-stained, foul-smelling)
Dyspareunia
Pelvic pain
Weight loss
However, it is often asymptomatic – particularly in the early stages of disease – and many cases are detected throughroutine screening.
Clinical examinations for patients with suspected cervical cancer (for OSCE’s).
- Speculum examination– assess for evidence of bleeding, discharge and ulceration.
- Bimanual examination– assess for pelvic masses.
- GI examination– assess for hydronephrosis, hepatomegaly, rectal bleeding, mass on PR.
Cervical cancer differentials:
There are a large number of possible causes forabnormal vaginal bleeding. These include sexually transmitted infection, cervical ectropion, polyp, fibroids, and pregnancy related bleeding.
Investigations for suspected cervical cancer:
In a woman presenting with symptoms suggestive of cervical cancer, the initial investigation depends on age:
- Pre-menopausal– test for chlamydia trachomatis infection
- If positive; treat for chlamydia infection. If symptoms persist after treatment, refer for colposcopy and biopsy.
- If negative; a colposcopy and biopsy is usually performed.
- Post-menopausal– urgent colposcopy and biopsy.
Acolposcopyis where a colposcope (modified microscope) is used to produce a magnified view of the cervix. Acetic acid is used to stain dysplastic areas, and a biopsy is taken.
If the diagnosis of cervical cancer is confirmed, further investigations are required:
- Basic blood tests–such as full blood count, liver function tests and urea & electrolytes
- CT Chest-Abdomen-Pelvis–looking for metastases.
- Further staging scans–e.g. MRI pelvis, PET.
- +/- examination under anaesthesiawith further biopsies.
Note: The cervical cancer screening programme aims to detect pre-invasive disease (i.e CIN). Cervical smears are not used to detect cervical cancer.
Treatment of cervical cancer:
MDT - surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are all options.
Chemoradiation therapy is thegold standard.
- 5-8 weeks of radiotherapy + chemotherapy
Stage 4 = resection of all pelvic adnexae
Read the use of chemotherapy to treat cervical cancer:
Chemotherapy in cervical cancer is often cisplatin-based.
It can be given before treatment by surgery or radiotherapy (known asneoadjuvant chemotherapy), or after treatment (adjuvant chemotherapy).
It is also the mainstay of treatment in thepalliativesetting.
Skim note on patient follow up for cervical cancer:
Patients should be reviewed by a gynaecologist every 4 months after treatment has been completed for the first 2 years, and every 6-12 months for the subsequent 3 years.
All follow-ups should involve a physical examination of the vagina and cervix (if they haven’t been removed).
Name the two most common benign epithelial cell tumours:
Mucinous cystadenoma
Serous cystadenoma
What is pseudomyxoma peritonei?
If a mucinous cystadenoma ruptures, it may cause pseudomyxoma peritonei.
What type of tumour causes meigs syndrome?
Sex-cord stromal tumours: (ovarian tumour)
Fibroma – the most common stromal tumour. Important to know about as up to 40% present with Meig’s syndrome which is the association between these tumours and ascites/pleural effusion.
Investigations for pre-menopausal women with ovarian cysts?
If a diagnosis of a simple ovarian cyst has been made ultrasonographically, CA125 does not need to be undertaken. Lactate dehydrogenase, alphafetoprotein, and hCG should be measured in all women under 40 due to the possibility of germ cell tumours. Cysts should be rescanned in 6 weeks, and if they are persistent or over 5cm, laparoscopic cystectomy or oophorectomy may be considered.
Genetic links to ovarian cancer:
BRCA 1 & 2 genes - OC has a strong link to family history
HNPCC (lynch syndrome)
Ovarian cancer risk factors:
- Nulliparity
- Early menarche
- Late menopause
- Hormone replacement therapy containing oestrogen only
- Smoking
- Obesity
Ovarian cancer protective factors:
- Multiparity
- Combined contraceptive methods
- Breastfeeding
Ovarian cancer symptoms:
- Bloating
- Change in bowel habit
- Change in urinary frequency
- Weight loss
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Bleeding per vagina
When taking a history from patients it is important to bear in mind that the presentation of ovarian cancer is often vague causing a delay in diagnosis and presentation to specialists with advanced disease. Therefore, never ignore a postmenopausal patient with nonspecific gynaecological or gastrointestinal symptoms. Enquire specifically about:
Presentation of ovarian cysts / tumours:
- Incidental and asymptomatic– found on scanning for other reasons e.g. pregnancy.
- Chronic pain–may develop secondary to pressure on the bladder or bowel also causing frequency or constipation.
- It may also manifest as dyspareunia or cyclical pain in those patients with endometriosis who have developed chocolate cysts.
- Acute pain– these patients may have bleeding into the cyst, rupture or torsion.
- Bleeding per vagina.