This document discusses uterine cancer, vulva and vagina cancer. It provides detailed information on: 1. Types of uterine cancers including endometrial carcinoma, leiomyosarcoma, and malignant mixed mullerian tumor. Risk factors, pathogenesis, classification and clinical presentations are described. 2. Gross and microscopic images of various uterine cancers like endometrial adenocarcinoma and leiomyosarcoma are shown along with summaries. 3. Vulvar cancer is defined and risk factors like HPV infection, aging, and conditions like VIN are explained. Clinical images show appearances of VIN lesions on the vulva.

1. UTERINE CANCER, VULVA
AND VAGINA CANCER

3. Leukoplaki
a
Condylomata
SCC

4. Stage 1B1 SCC

5. Endophytic

6. • Here is the gross appearance of a normal uterus with fundus, lower
uterine segment, cervix, vaginal cuff, right fallopian tube, left
fallopian tube, right ovary, and left ovary from a young woman.

8. (EPITHELIUM)
MESENCHYMA
(STROMA ,
MYOMETRIUM)

9. ENDOMETRIAL
CARCINOMA
1.
A. In Singapore, 3rd most common gynaecological
cancer while in USA, endometrial carcinoma is 4 th most
common cancer in female after breast, bowel and lung.
2.
B. 25% occur in premenopausal women.
3.
C. 5% in younger than 40 year old.
4.
D. 20% occur in women age 40 to 50
5.
E. 75% presented at early stage (confined to uterus)
Li
F. Lifetime risk of developing Ca endometrium is women
less than 75 year old is 2-3%. Average age of on set is 60

10. Normal endometrium
Endometrial hyperplasia
MESENCHYMA
(STROMA , MYOMETRIUM)
Adenocarcinoma

11. Pathogenesis of endometrial carcinoma
•
•
•
1. Many endometrial carcinomas appear to arise in a background of abnormal
estrogen metabolism.
2. Constitutional complex of symptoms, frequently associated with women
who have endometrial carcinoma.
a. Obesity
b. Low Parity
c. Hypertension
d. Diabetes mellitis
e. Late menopause
3. The above complex of constitutional characteristics suggest the possibility
of an underlying hormonal abnormality. Evidence suggests
hyperoestrogenism. This includes:
a. Chronic anovulation, resulting in unopposed estrogen stimulation of
the endometrium. b. Association of endometrial carcinoma with estrogen
secreting ovarian tumors, i.e. theca-granulosa cell tumors.
c. Evidence that weak androgen precursors from the adrenals and
ovarian stroma are aromatized to estrone, a weak estrogen, in body fat. This
contributes to the overall estrogen levels in the body.
d. The association of endometrial carcinoma in young women with high
dose-estrogen-containing sequential oral contraceptives. (These are no longer
available for use.)

12. Pathophysiology and Clinical Course
1. Presenting complaint: Abnormal vaginal bleeding (usually post menopausal)
2. Mechanisms of progression
a. Myometrial invasion
b. Ovarian metastasis
c. Regional lymph nodes
d. Distant metastases: Late occurrence with grave implications
3. Prognostic Factors
a. Tumor Grade: Relative percentage of glandular and solid areas; A solid
growth pattern is less differentiated than a glandular pattern and is therefore,
less favorable.
b. Depth of myometrial invasion
c. Surgical-Pathologic stage
d. New technologies are under investigation including
Estrogen/Progesterone receptors
DNA ploidy

13. ENDOMETRIAL (EPITHELIAL) CARCINOMA:
CLASSIFICATION
1. 1.
Endometroid adenocarcinoma (75-80%)
2.
Mucinous carcinoma (5%):Pattern similar with ovary and
endocervix, CEA, Good prognosis.
3.
Serous carcinoma (<10%),
4.
5.
6.
Clear cell carcinoma (4%),
Squamous carcinoma (very rare), poor prognosis
Undifferentiated carcinoma(glassy cell carcinoma), rare,
poor prognosis
Mixed types ( if each of the component represent >10% of
tumour)
Miscellaneous carcinoma
A. Metastatic carcinoma (Genital source, ovary is most
common, extragenital
B. SYNCRONOUS tumours ( Ovary-Endometrium)
7.
8.
1.

16. ADENOCARCINOMA OF ENDOMETRIUM GRADE 1
Clinical summary: 60 year old female with vaginal bleeding
Tumor location: Endometrial cavity. Tumor size: 2.8 x 2.4 x 1.7
cm.
Tumor characteristics: Soft, pale tan, and nodula mass.

17. Clinical summary: 68 year old
female with postmenopausal
bleeding
Tumor location: Endometrium.
Tumor protrudes into the
endometrial cavity.
Tumor size: 7.5 x 5.2 x 1.5 cm.
Tumor characteristics: Soft,
fungating, polypoid, tan-red mass.
Adenocarcinoma of endometrium G3

18. Well differentiated adenocarcinoma has invaded through
the muscle bundles of the myometrium.

19. UTERINE PAPILLARY SEROUS ADENOCARCINOMA
Tumor location: Endometrium.
Tumor size: 9.5 x 8.5 x 3.0 cm.
Tumor characteristics: Soft, fungating, polypoid, pale,
tan to tan-red mass.
Aggressive tumour, intraperitoneal spread common
Resembles ovarian serous carcinoma

20. CLEAR CELL ADENOCA ENDOMETRIUM
Very aggressive, occur in older women
Clinical summary: 71 year old female with a history of clear cell
carcinoma of the endometrium. Tumor location: Fundus of
endometrium.
Tumor size: 5.0 x 3.0 x 3.0 cm.
Tumor characteristics: Soft, fungating and tan brown mass

21. SYNCRONOUS OVARIAN-ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA
Occur in 15-20% of endometrioid carcinoma of ovary
If disease limited to pelvis, only 16% recurs within 5 years
Metastasis to ovary is unlikely from the endometrium if :
1. Ovarian tumour is bilateral
b.
2. Invasion is less than middle third of endometrium
c.
3. Vessel is not involved
4.Endometrial carcinoma is well differentiated

22. MESENCHYMA
(STROMA,
MYOMETRIUM)

23. Uterine Mesenchymal Tumour
•
•
A.
•
•
•
∀
•
•
•
Pure non-epithelial malignant tumour (only mesenchymal
component)
a.
b.
c.
d.
B.
Endometrial stromal sarcoma (formed by cells resemble endometrial stroma
during proliferative phase)
Leiomyosarcoma
Mixed endometrial stromal and leiomyosarcoma
Soft tissue malignant tumour
Mixed epithelial-nonepithelial malignant tumour (Mesenchymal
plus epithelial component)
•
•
a.
Adenosarcoma (epithelial component is benign, low grade malignancy and
rarely metastasize)
•
•
•
•
•
b.
Malignant Mixed Mullerian tumour (Carcinosarcoma, metasplastic
carcinoma and sarcoma)
Carcinofibroma (epithelial component malignant while mesenchymal
component is benign)
•
c.
C.
Undifferentiated or Unclassifiable sarcoma (poor prognosis)

24. UTERINE STROMAL SARCOMA
Clinical summary: 40 year old female with an enlarged uterus
Operative procedure: TAHBSO
Tumor location: Myometrium.
Tumor characteristics: Pale, tan and nodular mass. The small
nodules are leiomyomas.

25. Leiomyosarcoma:
Malignant smooth muscle
tumors that originate from myometrium. Peak incidence
40-60 years of age.
Gross Appearance
Bulky, fleshy tumors with a gray-tan fish flesh appearance.
Focal necrosis and hemorrhage are common.
a. May be a bulky tumor invading into the myometrium.
b. Polypoid lesion projecting into the endometrial cavity
Microscopic Appearance
Variable. Elongated spindle cells that variably grow in a
fascicular pattern, mimicking a benign leiomyoma. However,
the nuclei are generally pleomorphic with increased mitotic
activity (greater than 10 mitoses/10 high power fields).
Clinical Course: Variable with strong tendency to recur and
metastasize; blood borne metastases to lungs are common,
although direct extension into the peritoneal cavity also
occurs.

26. Histology : Spindle cells.
Several mitoses are seen
here
• Leiomyosarcoma: Gross natural color
nicely shown large neoplasm with fish
flesh cerebriform appearance
• Second most common uterine sarcoma

27. Multiple small nodules are scattered throughout the lung.
These are nodules of metastatic leiomyosarcoma

28. LEIOMYOMA
• Interlacing fascicles of smooth muscle cells arranged in a
whorled pattern. Varying amounts of fibrous connective
tissue are also present.

29. Rare (0.2-0.7%) sarcomatous transformation in leiomyoma
Tan area at the lower edge of this tumor is softer with a fish
flesh consistency and focal necrosis. This is an area of
leiomyosarcoma in what appeared to be an ordinary
leiomyoma.

30. MALIGNANT MIXED MULLERIAN TUMOUR
Most common uterine sarcoma
Aggressive and early lymphatic/haematogenous spread

31. VULVA CANCER

32. What is the vulva?
The vulva is the external portion of the female genital organs. It includes:
• labia majora - two large, fleshy lips, or folds of skin
• labia minora - small lips that lie inside the labia majora and surround the
openings to the urethra and vagina
• vestibule - space where the vagina opens
• prepuce - a fold of skin formed by the labia minora
• clitoris - a small protrusion sensitive to stimulation
• fourchette - area beneath the vaginal opening where the labia minora
meet
• perineum - area between the vagina and the anus
• anus - opening at the end of the anal canal

34. What is vulvar cancer?
Vulvar cancer is a malignancy that can occur on any part of the external
organs, but most often affects the labia majora or labia minora. Cancer of
the vulva is a rare disease, which accounts for half of one percent of all
cancers in women, and may form slowly over many years. Nearly 90
percent of vulvar cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. Melanoma is the
second most common type of vulvar cancer, usually found in the labia
minora or clitoris. Other types of vulvar cancer include:
• adenocarcinoma
• Paget's disease
• sarcomas
• verrucous carcinoma
• basal cell carcinoma

35. What are risk factors for vulvar cancer?
• age - of the women who develop vulvar cancer, three-fourths are over
age 50, and two-thirds are over age 70.
• infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV)
• smoking
• human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• low socioeconomic status
• vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) - there is an increased risk for
vulvar cancer in women with VIN, although most cases do not
progress to cancer.
• lichen sclerosus - can cause the vulval skin to become very itchy and
may slightly increase the possibility of vulvar cancer.
• chronic vulvar inflammation
• other genital cancers
• melanoma or atypical moles on non-vulvar skin - a family history of
melanoma and dysplastic nevi anywhere on the body may increase the
risk of vulvar cancer.

36. • VULVA:
ERYTHROPLASIA,
CARCINOMA IN
SITU

37. CLINICAL APPEARANCE
OF VULVAR
INTRAEPITHELIAL
NEOPLASIA There are
numerous pigmented
macules on the vulva,
some of which have a
central depigmented
area. Nonpigmented red
areas are present on the
labia minora which are
also VIN. On the perineal
body, anterior to the
rectum, red and
pigmented VIN lesions
are seen

38. • Dysplasias may also involve the vulvar epithelium, seen here at the
right with overlying hyperkeratosis (producing an area of leukoplakia),
with more normal (but atrophic) keratinizing squamous epithelium at
the left. Most cases of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) do not
progress to invasive cancer. Many are multicentric, and some occur in
association with cervical or vaginal carcinoma.