Made by DATEXIS (Data Science and Text-based Information Systems) at Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin
Deep Learning Technology: Sebastian Arnold, Betty van Aken, Paul Grundmann, Felix A. Gers and Alexander Löser. Learning Contextualized Document Representations for Healthcare Answer Retrieval. The Web Conference 2020 (WWW'20)
Funded by The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy; Grant: 01MD19013D, Smart-MD Project, Digital Technologies
A malignant mixed Müllerian tumor, also known as malignant mixed mesodermal tumor, MMMT and carcinosarcoma, is a malignant neoplasm found in the uterus, the ovaries, the fallopian tubes and other parts of the body that contains both carcinomatous (epithelial tissue) and sarcomatous (connective tissue) components. It is divided into two types, homologous (in which the sarcomatous component is made of tissues found in the uterus such as endometrial, fibrous and/or smooth muscle tissues) and a heterologous type (made up of tissues not found in the uterus, such as cartilage, skeletal muscle and/or bone). MMMT account for between two and five percent of all tumors derived from the body of the uterus, and are found predominantly in postmenopausal women with an average age of 66 years. Risk factors are similar to those of adenocarcinomas and include obesity, exogenous estrogen therapies, and nulliparity. Less well-understood but potential risk factors include tamoxifen therapy and pelvic irradiation.
In premenopausal women, adnexal masses include ovarian cysts, ectopic (tubal) pregnancies, benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumors, endometriomas, polycystic ovaries, and tubo-ovarian abscess. In females of reproductive age, adnexal masses can be physiologic or complex masses. Most common causes for adnexal masses in premenopausal women are follicular cysts and corpus luteum cysts. Abscesses can form as a complication of pelvic inflammatory disease.
Other masses include endometriomas, polycystic ovaries, and benign neoplasms.
In postmenopausal women, adnexal masses may be caused by cancer, fibroids, fibromas, diverticular abscess.
There is debate over the naming of MMMT; the term carcinosarcoma was formerly used to describe lesions with homologous tumors, and "malignant mixed Müllerian tumor" or "mixed mesodermal tumor" was used to describe heterologous tumors. While "carcinosarcoma" now considered standard, "malignant mixed Müllerian tumor" has a lengthy history within gynecological literature and is expected to continue to be used. The naming issue to a certain extent reflects histological characteristics and development of the tumors, in which the different types of tissues are believed to either develop separately and join into a single mass (the "collision" theory), that an adenocarcinoma stimulates the stroma to create a tumor (the "composition" theory), or that the tumor is the result of a stem cell that differentiates into different cell types (the "combination" theory). "Collision" tumors are normally easily recognized and not considered true MMMTs; the "combination" theory is most widely held, and is due to evidence that the tumors develop from a single line of cells, developing in a fashion similar to the fundus of the uterus from the Müllerian duct - first from a stem cell into a population of cells, that then differentiates into epithelial and stromal components.
There is evidence that some tumors are better explained by the composition theory, due to the aggressive nature of the epithelial cells involved which tend to metastasize much more readily than the sarcomal component. The behavior of MMMT overall is more related to the type and grade of the epithelium than the sarcoma, which suggests the sarcomal portion is an atypical "bystander" than primary driver of the tumor. Despite this, when purely endometrial tumors are compared to MMMTs, the MMMT tumor tends to have a worse prognosis.
Some or all of the following symptoms may be present, though it is possible not to experience any symptoms:
- Abdominal pain. Dull aching pain within the abdomen or pelvis, especially during intercourse.
- Uterine bleeding. Pain during or shortly after beginning or end of menstrual period; irregular periods, or abnormal uterine bleeding or spotting.
- Fullness, heaviness, pressure, swelling, or bloating in the abdomen.
- When a cyst ruptures from the ovary, there may be sudden and sharp pain in the lower abdomen on one side.
- Change in frequency or ease of urination (such as inability to fully empty the bladder), or difficulty with bowel movements due to pressure on adjacent pelvic anatomy.
- Constitutional symptoms such as fatigue, headaches
- Nausea or vomiting
- Weight gain
Other symptoms may depend on the cause of the cysts:
- Symptoms that may occur if the cause of the cysts is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may include increased facial hair or body hair, acne, obesity and infertility.
- If the cause is endometriosis, then periods may be heavy, and intercourse painful.
The effect of cysts not related to PCOS on fertility is unclear.
An adnexal mass is a lump in tissue of the adnexa of uterus (structures closely related structurally and functionally to the uterus such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or any of the surrounding connective tissue). Adnexal masses can be benign or cancerous, and they can be categorized as simple or complex. One of the most important factors used to determine the clinical suspicion of malignancy of an adnexal mass is the sonographic appearance of the mass. Indications that the mass is at a higher risk of being malignant include: presence of loculations, nodules, papillary structures, septations, size greater than 10 cm.
A ruptured ovarian cyst is usually self-limiting, and only requires keeping an eye on the situation and pain medications. The main symptom is abdominal pain, which may last a few days to a several weeks, but they can also be asymptomatic. Rupture of large ovarian cysts can cause bleeding inside the abdominal cavity and in some cases shock.
Almost all women present with uterine fibroids, approximately 76% with dermal manifestations and 10-16% with renal tumors.
The uterine fibroids tend to occur at younger age and larger and more numerous than in general population. They may be distinguishable from sporadic fibroids by special histological features such as prominent nucleoli with perinucleolar halos.
The skin presentation is of asymmetrical, reddish-brown nodules or papules with a firm consistency, predominantly located on the limbs (multiple cutaneous leiomyoma), although they may occur anywhere, including the face. The lesions, which are typically painful and most often present during the third decade of life, are piloleiomyomata—a benign smooth muscle tumour arising from the arrectores pilorum muscles of the skin. These tumours may also arise in the tunica dartos of the scrotum and the mammillary muscle of the nipple (genital leiomyoma), the smooth muscle of blood vessels (angioleiomyoma) and the lung (pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis). A pseudo-Darier sign may be present.
The renal cell carcinoma tends to be of the papillary (type 2) form and tends to occur more commonly in women than men with this syndrome. These cancers present earlier than is usual for renal cell carcinomas (typically in the twenties and thirties) and to be at relatively advanced stages at presentation. Tumours have rarely been reported in children. These tumours occur in ~20% of those with this mutation suggesting that other factors are involved in the pathogenesis.
It can, however, grow to almost 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter and has the potential to bleed into itself or twist the ovary, causing pelvic or abdominal pain. If it fills with blood, the cyst may rupture, causing internal bleeding and sharp pain. This pain disappears within a few days of the rupture. Rarely, it may cause the ovary to twist around the ovarian ligament and can cut off the blood flow to the ovary. This is known as ovarian torsion and causes pain and other symptoms.
Patients with ovarian torsion often present with sudden onset of sharp and usually unilateral lower abdominal pain, in 70% of cases accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Reed’s syndrome (or familial leiomyomatosis cutis et uteri) is a rare inherited condition characterised by multiple cutaneous leiomyomas and, in women, uterine leiomyomas. It predisposes for renal cell cancer, an association denominated hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer, and it is also associated with increased risk of uterine leiomyosarcoma. The syndrome is caused by a mutation in the fumarate hydratase gene, which leads to an accumulation of fumarate. The inheritance pattern is autosomal dominant.
There are many subtypes of lipomas:
- Adenolipomas are lipomas associated with eccrine sweat glands.
- Angiolipoleiomyomas are acquired, solitary, asymptomatic nodules, characterized histologically by well-circumscribed subcutaneous tumors composed of smooth muscle cells, blood vessels, connective tissue, and fat.
- Angiolipomas are painful subcutaneous nodules having all other features of a typical lipoma.
- Cerebellar pontine angle and internal auditory canal lipomas
- Chondroid lipomas are deep-seated, firm, yellow tumors that characteristically occur on the legs of women.
- Corpus callosum lipoma is a rare congenital brain condition that may or may not present with symptoms. This occurs in the corpus callosum, also known as the calossal commissure, which is a wide, flat bundle of neural fibers beneath the cortex in the human brain.
- Hibernomas are lipomas of brown fat.
- Intradermal spindle cell lipomas are distinct in that they most commonly affect women and have a wide distribution, occurring with relatively equal frequency on the head and neck, trunk, and upper and lower extremities.
- Neural fibrolipomas are overgrowths of fibro-fatty tissue along a nerve trunk, which often leads to nerve compression.
- Pleomorphic lipomas, like spindle-cell lipomas, occur for the most part on the backs and necks of elderly men and are characterized by floret giant cells with overlapping nuclei.
- Spindle-cell lipomas are asymptomatic, slow-growing subcutaneous tumors that have a predilection for the posterior back, neck, and shoulders of older men.
- Superficial subcutaneous lipomas, the most common type of lipoma, lie just below the surface of the skin. Most occur on the trunk, thigh, and forearm, although they may be found anywhere in the body where fat is located.
A Corpus luteum cyst is a type of ovarian cyst which may rupture about the time of menstruation, and take up to three months to disappear entirely. A corpus luteum cyst rarely occurs at age 50+, because eggs are no longer being released in menopausal women. Corpus luteum cysts may contain blood and other fluids. The physical shape of a corpus luteum cyst may appear as an enlargement of the ovary itself, rather than a distinct mass -like growth on the surface of the ovary.
Ovarian pregnancy refers to an ectopic pregnancy that is located in the ovary. Typically the egg cell is not released or picked up at ovulation, but fertilized within the ovary where the pregnancy implants. Such a pregnancy usually does not proceed past the first four weeks of pregnancy. An untreated ovarian pregnancy causes potentially fatal intraabdominal bleeding and thus may become a medical emergency.
A lipoma is a benign tumor made of fat tissue. They are generally soft to the touch, movable, and painless. They usually occur just under the skin but occasionally may be deeper. Most are less than 5 cm in size. Common locations include upper back, shoulders, and abdomen. A few people have a number of lipomas.
The cause is generally unclear. Risk factors include family history, obesity, and not enough exercise. Diagnosis is typically based on a physical exam. Occasionally medical imaging or tissue biopsy is used to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment is typically by observation or surgical removal. Rarely the condition may recur following removal, however, this can generally be managed with repeat surgery. They are not generally associated with a future risk of cancer.
About 2% of people are affected. Lipomas typically occur in adults between 40 to 60 years of age. Males are more often affected than females. They are the most common non-cancerous soft tissue tumor. The first use of the term "lipoma" to describe these tumors was in 1709.
Ovarian torsion (OT) is the rotation of the ovary at its to such a degree as to occlude the ovarian artery and/or vein.
Clinical symptoms of apoplexy associated with the basic mechanism of this disease:
1. Pain, which occurs primarily mid-cycle or after a minor delay in menstruation (at the time of the rupture of a corpus luteum cyst, for example). Pain is most often localized in the lower abdomen. Sometimes the pain may radiate to the rectum or to the lumbar or the umbilical region.
2. Bleeding into the abdominal cavity, which may be accompanied by:
Sometimes there may be inter-menstrual bleeding or spotting after menstruation.
Quite often, ovarian apoplexy occurs after intercourse or training in the gym, when pressure in the abdomen has increased or ovarian tissue has experienced some stress. However, rupture of ovarian tissue can occur in conjunction with other diseases.
A Cervical pregnancy is an ectopic pregnancy that has implanted in the uterine endocervix. Such a pregnancy typically aborts within the first trimester, however, if it is implanted closer to the uterine cavity - a so-called cervico-isthmic pregnancy - it may continue longer. Placental removal in a cervical pregnancy may result in major hemorrhage.
Ovarian apoplexy is a sudden rupture in the ovary, commonly at the site of a cyst, accompanied by hemorrhage in the ovarian tissue and/or intraperitoneal bleeding.
The diagnosis is made in asymptomatic pregnant women by obstetric ultrasonography. On pelvic examination a unilateral adnexal mass may be found. Typical symptoms are abdominal pain and, to a lesser degree, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. Patients may present with hypovolemia or be in circulatory shock because of internal bleeding.
Ideally, ultrasound will show the location of the gestational sac in the ovary, while the uterine cavity is "empty", and if there is internal bleeding, it can be identified. Because of the proximity of the tube, the sonographic distinction between a tubal and an ovarian pregnancy may be difficult. Serial hCG levels generally show not the normal progressive rise.
In a series of 12 patients the mean gestation age was 45 days.
Histologically, the diagnosis has been made by Spiegelberg criteria on the surgical specimen of the removed ovary and tube. However, the tube and ovary are not usually removed as sonography allows for earlier diagnosis and surgeons strive to preserve the ovary. Prior to the introduction of Spiegelberg's criteria in 1878, the existence of ovarian pregnancy was in doubt; his criteria helped to identify the ovarian pregnancy from other ectopics:
- The gestational sac is located in the region of the ovary.
- The gestational sac is attached to the uterus by the ovarian ligament.
- Ovarian tissue is histologically proven in the wall of the gestational sac.
- The oviduct on the affected side is intact (this criterion, however, holds not true for a longer ongoing ovarian pregnancy).
An ovarian pregnancy can be mistaken for a tubal pregnancy or a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst or corpus luteum prior to surgery. Sometimes, only the presence of trophoblastic tissue during the histologic examination of material of a bleeding ovarian cyst shows that an ovarian pregnancy was the cause of the bleeding.
The diagnosis is made in asymptomatic pregnant women either by inspection seeing a bluish discolored cervix or, more commonly, by obstetric ultrasonography. A typical non-specific symptom is vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. Ultrasound will show the location of the gestational sac in the cervix, while the uterine cavity is "empty". Cervical pregnancy can be confused with a miscarriage when pregnancy tissue is passing through the cervix.
Histologically the diagnosis has been made by Rubin’s criteria on the surgical specimen: cervical glands are opposite the trophoblastic tissue, the trophoblastic attachment is below the entrance of the uterine vessels to the uterus or the anterior peritoneal reflection, and fetal elements are absent from the uterine corpus. As many pregnancies today are diagnosed early and no hysterectomy is performed, Rubin's criteria can often not be applied.
A heterotopic pregnancy is a rare complication of pregnancy in which both extra-uterine (ectopic pregnancy) and intrauterine pregnancy occur simultaneously. It may also be referred to as a combined ectopic pregnancy, multiple‑sited pregnancy, or coincident pregnancy.
A possible pregnancy must be considered in any woman who has abdominal pain or abnormal vaginal bleeding. A heterotopic pregnancy may have similar signs and symptoms as a normal intrauterine pregnancy, a normal intrauterine pregnancy and a ruptured ovarian cyst, a corpus luteum, or appendicitis. Blood tests and ultrasound can be used to differentiate these conditions.
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) is abnormal genital tract bleeding based in the uterus and found in the absence of demonstrable structural or organic disease. It is usually due to hormonal disturbances: reduced levels of progesterone cause low levels of prostaglandin F2alpha and cause menorrhagia (abnormally heavy flow); increased levels of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) (a fibrinolytic enzyme) lead to more fibrinolysis.
Diagnosis must be made by exclusion, since organic pathology must first be ruled out.
DUB can be classified as "ovulatory" or "anovulatory", depending on whether ovulation is occurring or not. It is usually a menstrual disorder, although abnormal bleeding from the uterus is possible outside menstruation.
Some sources state that the term "dysfunctional" implies a hormonal mechanism. Use of the term "abnormal uterine bleeding" is preferred in today's medicine.
The symptoms of pseudocyesis are similar to the symptoms of true pregnancy and are often hard to distinguish from it. Such natural signs as amenorrhoea, morning sickness, tender breasts, and weight gain may all be present. Many health care professionals can be deceived by the symptoms associated with pseudocyesis. Research shows that 18% of women with pseudocyesis were at one time diagnosed as pregnant by medical professionals.
The hallmark sign of pseudocyesis that is common to all cases is that the affected patient is convinced that she is pregnant.
Abdominal distension is the most common physical symptom of pseudocyesis (60–90%). The abdomen expands in the same manner as it does during pregnancy so that the affected woman looks pregnant. These symptoms often resolve under general anesthesia and the woman's abdomen returns to its normal size.
The second most common physical sign of pseudocyesis is menstrual irregularity (50–90%). Women are also reported to experience the sensation of fetal movements known as quickening, even though there is no fetus present (50–75%). Other common signs and symptoms include gastrointestinal symptoms, breast changes or secretions, labor pains, uterine enlargement, and softening of the cervix. One percent of women eventually experience false labor.
To be diagnosed as true pseudocyesis, the woman must actually believe that she is pregnant. When a woman intentionally and consciously feigns pregnancy, it is termed a simulated pregnancy.
Symptoms of pseudocyesis can also occur in men who have couvade syndrome.
10% of cases occur in women who are ovulating, but progesterone secretion is prolonged because estrogen levels are low. This causes irregular shedding of the uterine lining and break-through bleeding. Some evidence has associated Ovulatory DUB with more fragile blood vessels in the uterus.
It may represent a possible endocrine dysfunction, resulting in menorrhagia or metrorrhagia.
Mid-cycle bleeding may indicate a transient estrogen decline, while late-cycle bleeding may indicate progesterone deficiency.