Cervical dysplasia is a term used to describe the appearance of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix, the lowest part of the uterus. The term "plasia" means growth. cervical dysplasia means disordered growth While dysplasia itself does not cause health problems, it is considered to be a precancerous condition. It is easier to understand cervical dysplasia if we first examine the normal cervix. As the cells mature they rise to the surface and flatten out, so that on the surface the cells are flat.Left untreated, cervical dysplasia sometimes progresses to an early form of cancer known as cervical carcinoma in situ, and eventually to invasive cervical cancer.
It can take 10 years or longer for cervical dysplasia to develop into cancer. Cervical dysplasia can be detected from a Pap smear, the single most important step that a woman can take to prevent cervical cancer.
Mild cervical dysplasia is the most common form, and up to 70% of these cases regress on their own. In mild dysplasia (CIN I) only a few cells are abnormal. Moderate and severe dysplasia are less likely to self-resolve and have a higher rate of progression to cancer. moderate dysplasia (CIN II) the abnormal cells involve about one-half of the thickness of the surface lining of the cervix.
It is important to realize that the different grades of Cervical Dysplasia are not a stepwise progression but rather represent a description ranging from a slight irregularity in the cells to a full thickness abnormality.
Cervical Dysplasia does not cause symptoms; therefore, regular screening and early diagnosis are important. Detecting and treating cervical dysplasia early is essential to prevent cancer. For this reason, most physicians quickly remove suspicious cervical lesions and require frequent Pap smears to monitor for recurrences.
Again, you should remember that Cervical Dysplasia should be considered to be pre-cancerous, but not cancer. Statistically, mild dysplasia is more likely to go away without any treatment that severe Cervical Dysplasia, which has a higher probability of becoming invasive cancer over time if not treated.
Every year, between 250,000 and 1 million women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical dysplasia. While it can occur at any age, the peak incidence is in women between the ages of 25 to 35. Most dysplasia cases can be cured with proper treatment and follow-up. Without treatment, 30% to 50% may progress to invasive cancer.
Usually the abnormal cells are first discovered on a routine Pap test. The pap test is a screening test that examines cells scraped off the surface of the cervix. When abnormal cells are seen on a Pap test, we must look at the cervix more closely to determine the exact nature of the abnormality. To do this we examine the cervix with a special microscope called a colposcope. This examination is called colposcopy.
Cervical Dysplasia
Cervical Dysplasia
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