UNIT 7.0

TOPIC – REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CANCERS

Instructional Materials

• White board and maker

• Projector/ Laptop

• Pictures 

• Videos

Teaching methods

• Lecture 

• Discussion

• Brainstorming  

Type of Assessment

• MCQ

• Assignments

• Essay 

Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to

• Define Cancer

• Identify the types of  reproductive cancers

• List the risk factors of reproductive cancers

• State preventive measures for reproductive cancers 

• List the Screening test for early identification of reproductive cancers

7.0 Introduction

Cancer occurs when cells in the body grow out of control. Cancers are named for the part of the body where they start.

7.1 Definition

Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. Reproductive cancers are cancer that is in the organs related to reproduction. 

7.2 Types of Cancer

• In Men, these include the 

• Testicular: Begins in the testes, the two egg-shaped glands that make sperm in the scrotum (ball sac) near the base of the penis.

• Penile: Begins in the penis, part of the external genitals.

• Prostate: Begins in the prostate, a gland inside the pelvis (the area in the lower belly between the hip bones) that surrounds the urethra (the tube that empties the bladder).

• The most common reproductive cancers in women are:

• Cervical cancer: Cancer of the cervix, the lower end of the uterus that extends to the vagina.

• Ovarian cancer: Cancer in the ovaries, the two organs that make female hormones and produce a woman’s eggs.

• Uterine cancer: Cancer in the uterus (womb), the organ where the baby grows when a woman is pregnant.

• Vaginal cancer: Cancer of the vagina, the hollow channel that leads from the uterus and cervix to the outside of the body.

• Vulvar cancer: Cancer of the vulva, the area around the opening of the vagina.

Breast cancer is sometimes considered a reproductive cancer. Breast cancer is in the tissues of the breast.

7.2.1 Early symptoms of Reproductive Cancers

Each type of female reproductive cancer has different symptoms, 

Cancer type

Symptoms

Breast

A lump in the breast.
Fluid coming out of nipple, especially if it is bloody.
Changes to skin of the breast or around the nipple.

Cervical

Bleeding or discharge from the vagina that is not normal.
Bleeding after sex.
Usually no symptoms.

Ovarian

Bleeding or discharge from the vagina that is not normal.
Pressure or pain in the pelvic area.
Pressure or pain in the abdomen (belly) or back.
Bloating.
Feeling full quickly while eating.
Changes in bathroom habits (constipation, blood in urine or stool).

Uterine

Bleeding or discharge from the vagina that is not normal.
Pressure or pain in the pelvic area.
Bleeding after menopause.

Vaginal

Bleeding or discharge from the vagina that is not normal.

Vulvar

Itching, bleeding, burning, a rash or sores around the opening of vagina that do not go away.
Changes in color of skin around the opening of the vagina.

Testicular cancer

Pain, discomfort, lump, or swelling in the testis itself, aching in the lower abdomen (belly).

Penile cancer: 

Redness, discomfort, sore, or lump on the penis.

Prostate cancer

Weak flow of urine, blood in urine, pain in the back, hips, or pelvis (lower belly between the hips), or needing to pass urine often.

7.3 Risk factors for female reproductive cancers

Cancer types

Risk factors

Breast

Being 55 years old or older.
Someone in your family having had breast cancer (for example, mother or a sister).
Smoking.
Drinking alcohol.

Cervical

Smoking.
Having HIV or a weak immune system.
Persistence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV).

Ovarian

Being 40 years or older.
Someone in your family having had cancer of the ovary, breast, or colon.
Being of Eastern European Jewish descent.
Never giving birth.

Uterine

Being 50 years or older.
Being overweight.
Someone in your family having had cancer of the uterus, ovary, or colon.

Vaginal & Vulvar

Having HPV.
Having cervical pre-cancer or cancer.
Having HIV or a weak immune system.
Smoking.

Testicular cancer

Undescended testicle, having a family history of testicular cancer, having a testicle that is not normal

Prostate cancer

Being aged 50 years old or older, having a family history of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is more common in African American men and tends to start at younger ages and grow faster among African American men.

Penile cancer

Having human papillomavirus (HPV), being uncircumcised, being age 60 or older, having many sexual partners, using tobacco products.

• 
  HPV is a virus that is spread during sexual contact. There are about 40 different strains (types) of HPV that can infect the genital area. About a dozen of these can cause cancer.

• Most adults will have an HPV infection at some time during their lives, HPV infections almost always clear up on their own without treatment. A person with a high-risk strain of HPV that does not clear up on its own over many years could eventually get cancer.

7.3 Preventive Measures

• A vaccine (shot) is available to prevent most high-risk HPV infections. 

• It is best if the vaccine is received in childhood or early adolescence before a young woman begins having sex. 

• It is also recommended for women up to age 26 who did not get the recommended doses when they were younger. 

7.4 Screening test and early identification for reproductive cancers

There are screening tests for breast cancer and cervical cancer:

• Mammogram: An x-ray test is used to screen for breast cancer. 

• Pap smear (or cervical cytology): A sample of cells is taken from the cervix during a pelvic exam 

• Visual Inspection with Acetic acid

There are no screening tests for other reproductive cancers. Diagnostic tests can be used to find cancers in people who have symptoms. The type of diagnostic test used to find reproductive cancer depends on the type of cancer. These tests include:

• Lab tests: Blood tests that sometimes show signs of cancer.

• Tests that help healthcare providers “see” inside the body, such as:

  • X-ray

  • Ultrasound

  • MRI scan

  • CT scan

• Biopsy: Procedure where a healthcare provider removes small a piece of tissue to check for cancer.

Treatment Options

• Surgery

• Chemotherapy (medicine to kill cancer cells), 

• Hormone therapy (medicine to block hormones that are related to cancer growth), 

• Radiation, or a combination of these used together..

Test item 

• Identify the different types of Reproductive Cancers in both Male and Female

• Explain symptoms and risk factors for any 3 reproductive cancer

STUDENTS’ ACTIVITY:

Topic: Female Genital Cutting

Learning outcome: The student will be able to

• Define Cancer

• Mention the types of  reproductive cancers commonly seen male and female

• State the risk factors of reproductive cancers

• State preventive measures for reproductive cancers 

• List the Screening test for early identification of reproductive cancers

Task: In different group, students should brainstorm on strategies for early identification of reproductive cancers within the community.