Cervical Dysplasia means that there is abnormal cell growth (dysplasia) in the cervix. The cervix is the firm, smooth organ that forms the entrance to the uterus in the female reproductive system. Cell growth is considered abnormal when some areas of cervical cells are immature compared with their normal neighbors. They also divide faster than expected, and their nuclei show specific types of microscopic changes. Cervical dysplasia is an important health problem because it sometimes, but not always, progresses to cervical cancer.
If the Pap smear is normal, no further tests are necessary until the next yearly Pap test. If the cells collected on the Pap smear are abnormal, a repeat test and a pelvic exam where the doctor looks at the cervix with a special magnifying lens (colposcope) may be recommended. Sometimes a small piece of tissue is removed from the cervix (biopsy) and examined under a microscope to see if there are any precancerous changes or cancer present. If these additional tests find an early stage of Cervical dysplasia cancer, it is either treated by removing the affected portion of the cervix (cone biopsy) or by removing the entire cervix and uterus (abdominal hysterectomy).
Cervical dysplasia is a laboratory diagnosis made on the tiny sample of cervical tissue taken for a Pap smear. Depending on the specific naming system used, cervical dysplasia may also be calledsquamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) or cervical intraepithelialneoplasia (CIN). When a Pap smear is examined under a microscope and abnormal cervical cells involve the lower third of the specimen, the condition is described as "mild" cervical dysplasia (low-grade SIL or CIN 1). If abnormal cervical cells are found on larger portions of the specimen, the condition is described as "moderate" or "severe" cervical dysplasia (high-grade SIL or CIN 2 or 3).
Without treatment, CIN 3 cervical dysplasia is much more likely than CIN 1 dysplasia to develop into cervical cancer. When it does occur, it tends to progress slowly - over a period of 10 years or more. Sixty to 80 percent of CIN 1 Cervical dysplasia typically resolve on their own, and only about 1 percent progress to invasive cervical cancer. On the other hand, less than one third of CIN 3 dysplasias disappear spontaneously, and about 12 percent eventually progress to cervical cancer.
Approximately 600,000 American women are diagnosed with Cervical dysplasia annually, compared with only 13,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer. Although the highest rates of Cervical dysplasia are among women of African American, Native American, and Hispanic background, this may not be due to an increased genetic (inherited) risk for the condition. Instead, it may reflect social and economic factors, including limited access to good medical care. This is especially true among women over age 65, who may not see their doctors regularly for routine Pap smears.
Cervical Dysplasia
Cervical Dysplasia
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