Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancer in women in many underdeveloped countries and it is the sixth most common in American women. It's second only after breast cancer as the cancer that has the most death rates in women worldwide. Luckily, due mainly to Pap smear screenings but also the HPV vaccine, cervical cancer incidence has dropped significantly in the last decades. This screening procedure detects early growth of precancerous cells. These are also known as CIN or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and are located in the cervix. A Pap test can completely prevent cervical cancer if this condition is detected. Research has reported that, if left untreated, as high as 70% of CIN cases can eventually develop into invasive cervical cancer.

CIN, also known as cervical dysplasia, is classified as a precancerous condition, meaning that it is a potentially premalignant transformation of cells in the cervix. These squamous cells are most of the times chased away by the body's immune system, without intervention. Even so, there;s still a chance that a percentage from these develop into cervical cancer, if left untreated. Women who have been diagnosed with CIN before are also more likely to develop cervical cancer and to experience recurrence of severe CIN.


The main cause for CIN is infection with HPV, the Human Papiloma Virus, which is a sexually transmitted virus that is present in 90% of cervical cancers. However, from the over 100 strains of HPV only strains 16 and 18 present a high risk for developing precancerous conditions. Other types only cause warts that can sometimes go away on their own. This virus can lead to changes in the growth of the cells and the earliest microscopic change is CIN, which at this time is undetectable by the woman.

The best thing to do in order to keep safe from these precancerous conditions and cervical cancer for that matter is to start with preventing or treating the risk factors. By not having unprotected sex or avoiding having sex with multiple partners you can keep safe from HPV infections. If however you are sexually active or even just older than 18, you should still have regular Pap smears every year to give yourself the best chance of finding precancerous conditions like dysplasia as this is 100% curable. At the first sign of any change in the cervical area you should seek a doctors attention and hope that it is either benign or a sign for a precancerous modification and not undetected cervical cancer.


Advanced cervical cancer has much poorer survival rates and even with cancer, you have a better chance with detecting it early than with the best treatment possible at an advanced stage.

http://e-cervicalcancer.com/category/signs/

http://www.womenhealthzone.com/womens-health/cervical-cancer/precancerous-condition-increases-the-risk-of-cervical-cancer/

http://www.everydayhealth.com/specialists/women/hensley/qa/precancerous-condition/index.aspx