Disease of the Vulva     
Diseases of the Vagina       
 Diseases of the Ovaries     
  Diseases of the Breast     
Pregnancy Disorders                    
                               Female Reproductive Disorders                               
SCC of the Vulva
Normally in elderly women
E.g Verrucous carcinoma (presents a large fungating growth, slow growth, local invasion) If confined = good prognosis, if metastasis = bad prognosis
Arise de novo (I.e. vulval intraepithelial neoplasia; occurs in younger women, especially if smokers)
SCC of the Vagina
Rare occurrence, more common as secondary to other disease
Diseases of the Cervix
Carcinoma of the Cervix     

Squamous cell carcinoma > adenocarcinoma of cervix

Common aetiology; HPV

Prevention available through Gardasil vaccine, occurrence correlated with; sexual activity, age of first intercourse & multiparity

Symptoms; vaginal bleeding, obstruction > fistula formation > secondary infection > purulent discharge

Diagnosis; via PAP smear

Prognosis; determined by four stages

Treatment; cauterisation, laser therapy, biopsy, conisation (stage 1), hysterectomy & radiotherapy (stage 2/3) & chemotherapy (stages 3/4)

     

 Diseases of the Uterus
Endometriosis (choriostoma)     

Ectopic endometrium found outside uterine cavity

Histologically; appear as cystic sacs & solid spaces, glands & stroma visible

Presents with; fibrosis w/ repeated inflammation & organisation 

Types; Endometriosis interna/adenomyosis (in myometrium) or endometriosis externa (outside uterine wall)

Aetiological theories; 1. retrograde menstruation 2. metaplasia theory 3. metastatic theory

Symptoms; usually asymptomatic/slight pain, menstrual discomfort & more severe symptoms (dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, dyschezia, dysuria, menorrhagia, haemochezia, haematuria, diarrhoea etc

Treatment; hormonal manipulation        

Carcinoma of Endometrium     

Types; 1. occurs close to menopause (most common, good prognosis) & 2. occurs in older post-menopausal women (poor prognosis)

Aetiology; hyperoestrinism, obesity, infertility/nulliparity, genetic factors

Symptoms; abnormal bleeding, leucorrhoea, painful/tender uterus

Treatment; surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy

Prognosis; very good if detected in early stages     

 Fibroleiomyoma of Uterus     

Most common benign tumour of genital tract

Oestrogen-dependant, not premalignant

Types; submucosal, transmural & subserosal  

Symptoms; dysmenorrhoea, menorrhagia, discomfort, obstruction/pressure effects on bladder/bowel

Treatment; surgical excision or hysterectomy

      

Non-neoplastic Cysts               

Often benign, very common, derive from graafian follicles or surface epithelium

Stein-Leventhal syndrome; characterised as polycytic ovarian syndrome (Three theories - 1. HPA defect 2. ovarian steroid genesis defect 3. insulin resistance in peripheries          

Associated with; obesity, hirsutism (excessive hair growth), irregular periods or amenorrhoea (absent periods) = reduced fertility

Treatment; exogenous hormone administration  

Neoplasms of the Ovaries               

Commonly derived from surface epithelium, sex cord & stromal cells and germ cells

Types; epithelial tumours, tubal differentiation (serous ovarian tumours), endocervical differentiation (mucinous ovarian), endometrial differentiation (endometrioid/clear-cell ovarian; clear cytoplasm), transitional differentiation (Brenner ovarian; UTI like infection)     

Serous cystadenocarcinoma = most common ovarian malignancy (poor prognosis; 5y/s/r = 20%)               

Sex cord & Stromal tumours            
Fibromas (benign), thecomas (benign), granulosa cell (benign)      
Germ cell tumours               
Teratomas (benign cystic tumour, a-fetoprotein positive), yolk sac (rare/malignant, secrete a-fetoprotein), choriocarcinoma (rare/malignant, secrete hCG)            
Pre-eclampsia, Eclampsia & Ectopic Pregnancy               

Pre-eclampsia; presents with high BP, proteinuria & peripheral oedema, rarely fatal to mother (reduced placental blood flow/foetal hypoxia), HT & DM predispose

Eclampsia; may follow pre-eclampsia or de novo, if untreated may be fatal to both mother & foetus

Ectopic; fertilised ovum implants outside uterus (most commonly in fallopian tube) > acute abdomen presentation > tubal rupture

Placental abruption; separation of normally located placenta > abdominal pain/haemorrhage > still birth/maternal death

Placental previa; low implantation of placenta in uterus > antepartum haemorrhage/obstructed labour (four grades of placental previa)

I; encroaches lower segment but does not reach internal OS, II; occupies lower segment with edge reaching internal OS, III; implanted in lower segment & partly cover internal OS, IV; implanted in lower segment & completely covers internal OS    

Congenital diseases     

Rubella virus; crosses placenta > congenital malformation

Listeria monocytogenes; crosses placenta > necrosis of internal organs (in cold meats, soft cheeses etc)

N. Gonorrhoea; infected birth canal > opthalmia neonatorum (conjunctivitis)

Treponema pallidum (Syphilis); crosses placenta > spontaneous abortion/congenital syphilis

Toxoplasma gondii; crosses placenta > spontaneous abortion/still birth OR microcephaly/hydrocephaly

     - Leads to cyst formation

From cats, cleaning cat litter etc

HIV; crosses placenta or birth/lactation acquired > AIDS

M. Tuberculosis; crosses placenta > foetal tuberculosis      

Fibroadenoma & Carcinoma of the Breast            

Fibroadenoma; most common benign lump (firm, rubbery, well-circumscribed > highly mobile/solitary lump)

Carcinoma of the breast; aetiological factors include oestrogen exposure & genetics, geographic & dietary factors, epithelial hyperplasia, early menarche, nulliparity, late menopause & exogenous hormones

Presents as; 1. Palpable lump 2. anomaly detected via mammograph 3. incidental histological finding following removal of another 4. detection of metastatic deposits in other organs            

Types of breast cancer               

1. Non-invasive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS); detected as palpable lump/mammograph, Paget's disease of the nipple (spread of DCIS to skin), presents with reddening, thickening, scaling of nipple & areola skin (like eczema)

2. Non-invasive lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS); detected via mammography (not usually palpable, no ducts involved, increases risk of invasive adenocarcinoma

3. Invasive ductal carcinoma (from ducts); most common, presents with island cells & dense fibrous stroma

4. Invasive lobular carcinoma (arise from lobular glands); presents as narrow cords of cell & dense fibrous stroma

5. Tubular carcinoma; well differentiated cells forming regular tubular structures, better prognosis

6. Mucoid carcinoma (Colloid carcinoma); cells secrete mucous into stroma, soft/slimy texture, well differentiated, better prognosis

7. Medullary carcinoma; well circumscribed masses > soft/fleshy texture, dense lymphocytic infiltrate

 

Spread; 1. Local (deep fixation > requires radical mastectomy) 2. Lymphatic ("orange peel effect", dimpling appearance) 3. Vascular (to bone, lung, pleura, ovaries & liver)

 

Diagnosis; breast self examination, mammography, biopsy

Treatment; lumpectomy, mastectomy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy

Prognosis; stage 1 (confined to breast) 2. confined to breast/lymph nodes 3. deep tissue fixation 4. distant metastases

Also, based on molecular classification (expression of ER (oestrogen receptor) & HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 > worst prognosis)                  

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