Vulva

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This article addresses the basics of vulva, from a pathologic perspective.

A general differential diagnosis

Benign:

Other:

Premalignant:

Malignant:

Normal vulva

Microscopic

Features:

  • Stratified squamous epithelium with maturation.
  • No nuclear changes.
  • No inflammation.

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Mildly inflamed

VULVA, BIOPSY:
- SQUAMOUS MUCOSA WITH MILD CHRONIC INFLAMMATION AND REACTIVE CHANGES.
- NEGATIVE FOR DYSPLASIA AND NEGATIVE FOR MALIGNANCY.
Micro

The sections show squamous mucosa with a mild chronic inflammatory infiltrate that consists predominantly of lymphocytes. There is mild nuclear enlargement and intracellular edema. The nuclear membranes are regular. No nuclear hyperchromasia is apparent. No mitotic activity is readily apparent.

Hyperkeratotic

VULVA, BIOPSY:
- SQUAMOUS MUCOSA WITH MILD HYPERGRANULOSIS AND A THIN COMPACT LAYER OF KERATIN.
- NO SIGNIFICANT INFLAMMATION.
- NEGATIVE FOR DYSPLASIA.
Micro

The sections show a small piece of squamous mucosa with mild hypergranulosis and a compact keratin layer. The epithelial component is not significantly thickened but contains rare intraepithelial lymphocytes and has minimal edema. The subepithelial tissue has rare scattered lymphocytes and a mild prominence of small blood vessels. No subepithelial fibrosis is appreciated. The epithelium has no atypia. No mitotic figures are readily apparent.

Benign disease

This is grab bag of non-neoplastic stuffs.

Condyloma acuminatum

Lichen sclerosus

Bartholin cyst

General

  • Common.
  • May become infected.

Treatment:

  • Drainage.
  • Marsupialization.

Microscopic

Features:

  • Cyst with squamous or urothelial epithelium.[1]

Images:

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Compatible with Bartholin cyst

Submitted as "Bartholin's cyst wall - left", Excision:
- Connective tissue with overlying urothelium that is focally 
  denuded and associated with a lymphohistiocytic response, 
  compatible with Bartholin's cyst.
- NEGATIVE for dysplasia and NEGATIVE for malignancy.
Block letters
VAGINA, CYST WALL, BIOPSY:
- SOFT TISSUE WITH A MIXED INFLAMMATORY INFILTRATE RICH IN NEUTROPHILS,
  NO EPITHELIUM APPARENT; COMPATIBLE WITH DENUDED CYST WALL.
- NEGATIVE FOR DYSPLASIA AND NEGATIVE FOR MALIGNANCY.

Zoon vulvitis

  • AKA plasma cell vulvitis.

Neoplasms (non-malignant)

A short DDx:[2]

Hidradenoma papilliferum

Vulvar neoplasia

Classic vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia

  • Abbreviated classic VIN or cVIN.
  • AKA usual VIN or uVIN.[4]

Differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia

  • Abbreviated dVIN.
  • AKA VIN simplex.[5]

Malignant neoplasms of the vulva

Overview

Most common malignancies of vulva:[6]

  1. Invasive squamous cell carcinoma.
  2. Malignant melanoma.

Vulvar squamous cell carcinoma

  • AKA squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.

General

  • Most common vulvar malignancy.

Precursor lesions for SCC

  • Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN).

VIN can be divided into:

  • Classic VIN, and
  • Differentiated VIN.
    • Differentiated VIN is mostly irrelevant as it is basically never seen alone, i.e. it usually accompanies cancer.

Low grade pre-cancerous lesions (VIN) are typically HPV positive, while high grade pre-cancerous lesions and cancer are less often HPV positive.[7]

Microscopic

Like SCC elsewhere.

  • Microinvasion: <=1 mm stromal invasion, tumour size <=2 cm (T1a).[8]
  • Depth from DE junction.

Note:

  • Tumour thickness != depth of invasion.
    • Thickness = granular layer or surface (no granular layer present) to deepest tumour.
    • Depth of invasion = epithelial-stromal junction in "valley" of papillae.

DDx:

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VULVA, LEFT SIDE, (INCISIONAL) BIOPSY:
- INVASIVE SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA.
-- PLEASE SEE TUMOUR SUMMARY.

TUMOUR SUMMARY - VULVA
Specimen Size: multiple fragments - up to 2.5 cm in aggregate.
Tumour site: left vulva - around Bartholin's gland.
Tumour size: at least 10 mm, cannot be determined due to fragmentation.
Tumour focality: cannot be determined.
Histologic type: squamous cell carcinoma with focal keratinization.
Histologic Grade: G2 - moderately differentiated.
Microscopic tumour extension: greater than 2 mm, assessment limited by
 fragmentation and tissue orientation.
Tumour border: infiltrating.
Lymph-Vascular Invasion: present.
Additional findings:
 Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) 3 (severe dysplasia/carcinoma in situ).

See also

References

  1. http://pathologyoutlines.com/vulva.html#bartholincyst
  2. Humphrey, Peter A; Dehner, Louis P; Pfeifer, John D (2008). The Washington Manual of Surgical Pathology (1st ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 456. ISBN 978-0781765275. }}
  3. Hidradenoma papilliferum. Stedman's Medical Dictionary. 27th Ed.
  4. Reyes, MC.; Cooper, K. (Jan 2014). "An update on vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia: terminology and a practical approach to diagnosis.". J Clin Pathol. doi:10.1136/jclinpath-2013-202117. PMID 24399036.
  5. Ruhul Quddus, M.; Xu, C.; Steinhoff, MM.; Zhang, C.; Lawrence, WD.; Sung, CJ. (Jun 2005). "Simplex (differentiated) type VIN: absence of p16INK4 supports its weak association with HPV and its probable precursor role in non-HPV related vulvar squamous cancers.". Histopathology 46 (6): 718-20. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2559.2005.02036.x. PMID 15910611.
  6. Humphrey, Peter A; Dehner, Louis P; Pfeifer, John D (2008). The Washington Manual of Surgical Pathology (1st ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 459. ISBN 978-0781765275.
  7. De Vuyst H, Clifford GM, Nascimento MC, Madeleine MM, Franceschi S (April 2009). "Prevalence and type distribution of human papillomavirus in carcinoma and intraepithelial neoplasia of the vulva, vagina and anus: a meta-analysis". Int. J. Cancer 124 (7): 1626–36. doi:10.1002/ijc.24116. PMID 19115209.
  8. URL: http://www.cap.org/apps/docs/committees/cancer/cancer_protocols/2011/Vulva_11protocol.pdf. Accessed on: 9 March 2012.